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WSUS is a free application created and distributed by Microsoft that is used for managing updates, hotfixes and patches. As IT admins and professionals continually need to keep their client and corporate environments up to date, and chase a secure and highly-performant infrastructure, patch management is more important than ever. This article will look at how WSUS works and whether it’s a smart choice for distributing updates across a network.

Explain it to me like I’m five – what exactly are WSUS?

WSUS stands for Windows Server Update Services, and it’s used for centralized update management of all Microsoft services. All of the latest Microsoft product updates can be distributed to all machines on a network via WSUS, from one management console on a centralized server or group of servers.

So, what can you use it for? From your WSUS server, you can manage and distribute all of your updates, even updating other WSUS servers on the network. The main reasons to use WSUS are to ensure that all your machines are patched against security vulnerabilities and that your production environment remains stable. WSUS works across all machines, even those with varied versions of Windows OS, including older XP systems and modern Windows Server processes.

Hey, wasn’t that service called SUS?

You might have heard of Software Update Services, or SUS, and yes – you haven’t gone mad; the name changed back in 2007. Alongside the name change came a whole slew of new features and updates, including expanding the range of software that can be updated using the system. WSUS can automatically handle updates, hotfixes, service packs, drivers, and even feature packs, all from a central server or multiple central servers.

What are the features of WSUS?

With WSUS, you don’t need to send technicians to manage each computer individually, downloading updates and patches and deploying them using the Windows Update program. Instead, you can automatically ensure that all updates are approved in advance and downloaded in bulk at a time that suits the business. This means no downtime or interruption to service, and the peace of mind that patch management is handled in a hands-free manner. When an update is critical for security, these rules can be bypassed, ensuring that risk assessment and mitigation are always top of mind.

WSUS supports update management for every Microsoft product that has ever been released, providing comprehensive coverage across their entire product suite. Through a single console, you can manage security updates, Windows updates, software drivers, and more.

Group policies is also a great feature, allowing you to categorize all your machines across the network into groups (called management groups) and decide what is downloaded and how, performing exceptions if necessary for business continuity. If there are any problems with WSUS, you’ll receive a simple email notification indicating where failures have occurred. You can also view the status dashboard to see all relevant information for your client or corporate environment, ensuring all computers are secure or identifying which are waiting or in need of updates.

What are the best and worst things I should know about WSUS?

By now you should be aware of some great benefits of using WSUS – like the ability to manage as many computers as needed simultaneously, reducing the manual effort required to secure and support a large IT environment. You’ll also save on bandwidth since updates are downloaded only once. For Microsoft-only environments, it covers all of your patch management needs, and it doesn’t cost a dime!

However, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. Although WSUS is free, you’ll need to have Windows Server, which comes with a costly license fee, and at least 4GB of memory for it to run. If you have more updates to install, you’ll need even more RAM.

One of the biggest downsides to WSUS (although hardly Microsoft’s fault) is that it doesn’t work in mixed environments. Most business environments have other operating systems that need to be managed separately and often manually if relying solely on WSUS. It also doesn’t manage third-party applications, only Windows products, so risks from common applications such as Adobe, JavaScript, or even Zoom are not covered.

What’s an alternative to WSUS?

WSUS is one of many tools that can be used for patch management processes across an IT environment. At Atera, our robust patch management process, including the use of Chocolatey for Windows and Homebrew for Macs, ensures that mixed environments remain secure and well-managed. We offer the same bulk patch management and deployment, including exceptions and group policies. Additionally, Atera’s patch management integrations support all the software used across your environment, whether Microsoft, Apple, or third-party.

Patch management is an essential part of maintaining an IT environment, and when done right, it can reduce manual work, streamline security and maintenance tasks, and ensure you never miss an update for the tools your clients and colleagues use every day.

Conclusion

WSUS provides a robust solution for managing updates within a Microsoft-centric IT environment, offering centralized control over patch management and security. While it excels in streamlining the update process for Microsoft products, its limitations in handling mixed environments and third-party applications can pose challenges.

For a more comprehensive approach that addresses these gaps, Atera presents a superior alternative. With Atera, you gain access to advanced patch management features that extend beyond Microsoft products, ensuring that all software in your environment, regardless of vendor, is up to date and secure.

Discover how Atera can enhance your patch management strategy and provide a seamless, all-encompassing solution for your IT needs.

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