Automatic Updates
Posted on July 21, 2004
Filed Under Internet, Networking, Security, Windows |
In the field, computer technicians are often asked whether or not a user should click “Yes” when asked to install new updates. These updates can come from Microsoft, your antivirus software, or other programs that offer continual updates. Most updates are small bits of information that make a program more current, more secure, or address flaws in the software itself.
Computer operating systems like Microsoft Windows can ship with flaws that are not apparent when the product is first released. These flaws can negatively affect security or system operation and once discovered “patches” are released for them. For the security conscious or for anyone who simply wishes to stay up to date, it can be an enormous task to stay informed about which patches are available and then find where they can be downloaded.
To help end users keep their systems secure and current, Microsoft included Automatic Updates with its newer Windows products. Automatic Updates has been a feature of Windows since Windows 2000 Service Pack 2. The program detects when your computer is on-line and checks with the Windows Update web site to determine if updates are available. If there is an update available, Automatic Updates presents an icon in the system tray (lower right near the clock) to indicate that the update has been found, downloaded, or installed.
Users can sometimes be put off by a flashing icon on their screen. When they are given the option to install newly downloaded updates, they may choose to not install them because they are not quite sure what they will do to their computer. There have been times when newly released updates have caused problems but generally the benefits of keeping a system up to date outweighs the risk of a patch not cooperating with the system. Of course if you run a critical piece of software, it would be wise to contact the vendor to find out if their software has been tested with the new updates.
Automatic Updates can be configured to download and install updates automatically, download and prompt you to install updates, or notify you before downloading and before installing updates. There is no harm in continuing to work while Automatic Updates downloads or installs updates so how you choose to configure the software is purely a matter of preference. On stand alone systems I prefer to download updates and be prompted when they are ready to install. However others may prefer to know exactly what Automatic Updates is doing and have it prompt for both downloads and installations. Still others might want to simply have the updates downloaded and installed automatically when the system is otherwise idle such as during a lunch break.
If you manage a computer network, Microsoft also offers the free Software Update Services or SUS. SUS is based on the Windows Update Web Site (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com) technology and allows an administrator to patch all of the systems under their care that support Automatic Updates. SUS can drastically reduce the Internet bandwidth required to update all of your systems by downloading a single copy of each update to a central SUS server. Network computers then need only contact a local server for updates rather than each computer using the Internet connection to download individual copies of the same updates.
While SUS does a good job of automating patch management on the network, it lacks features such as reporting and updates for Microsoft software other than Windows. It also does not scale well on large networks as there is support for parent and child SUS servers.
The next version of SUS is due to be released in the fall and sports a variety of new features as well as a new name. Windows Update Services or WUS will support updates for Microsoft Office, SQL Server, and Exchange Server, in addition to Windows itself. WUS will also scale more easily than its predecessor by supporting parent and child servers and will provide basic reporting features.
Updates are vital to insuring secure and reliable operation of your computers. By patching systems routinely, you not only protect your own computers but help stop the spread of viruses and exploits that take advantage of software bugs. The next time you see a critical update notification pop up on your screen, you’ll be doing yourself and the Internet community at large a favour by installing it!
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