In late April 2007 Microsoft has released Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) version 3.0. WSUS enables IT administrators to deploy the latest Microsoft product updates to computers running the Windows operating system. By using WSUS, administrators can fully manage the distribution of updates that are released through Microsoft Update to computers in their network. You can read more about the requirements and download links for WSUS 3.0 on my “Microsoft WSUS 3.0 is Finally Released” article.
WSUS 3.0 is supported on Windows SBS 2003 with Server Pack 1 (SP1) and Windows SBS 2003 R2. This guide will outline the steps you need to take in order to install WSUS 3.0 on SBS SP1 or SBS R2.
Before you begin installation
Before you begin using this document, complete the following:
- Set Up Windows Small Business Server 2003.
- Configure the proxy server (if you have one) to allow the WSUS 3.0 communicates with Microsoft Update via HTTP and SSL.
- Configure the firewall (if you have one) to allow WSUS to obtain updates.
- Install the required software for WSUS 3.0 (see my “Microsoft WSUS 3.0 is Finally Released” article).
Install Windows Server Update Services 3.0
After performing the previous steps you now need to download and install WSUS 3.0 on the server.
Download WSUS 3.0 (74.9mb – 81.8mb)
Important note #1: After you install WSUS 3.0, the Windows Server Update Services Configuration Wizard launches automatically. At this point, stop following the instructions in “Deploying Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0.” Instead, click Cancel to close the Windows Server Update Services Configuration Wizard. Important note #2: If you run the WSUS Configuration Wizard, on the Configure Sync Schedule page, you must keep the default setting Synchronize automatically. If you change this setting to Synchronize manually, Windows SBS Update Services cannot run.
Configuring Windows Server Update Services 3.0
You should configure WSUS 3.0 in the same manner you would on a regular Windows Server 2003 machine. To read more about it please read my other WSUS articles and/or read the Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0 Operations Guide.
However, there are some “considerations” or “challenges” as Microsoft sales people like to call them:
Upgrading SBS 2003 with Service Pack 1 to SBS 2003 R2 while running WSUS 3.0
If you want to upgrade Windows SBS 2003 with SP1 to Windows SBS 2003 R2, and your server already uses WSUS 3.0 to manage updates, you will need to first uninstall WSUS 3.0. Use the following procedure:
- Back up the WSUS 3.0 databases, updates, and log files – Use ntbackup.exe to create a backup of WSUS 3.0 databases, updates, and log files that are located in the %windir%’system32 folder.
- Uninstall WSUS 3.0 – Use Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel to remove the WSUS databases, downloaded updates, and log files.
- Upgrade Windows SBS 2003 with SP1 to Windows SBS 2003 R2.
- Upgrade WSUS 2.0 to WSUS 3.0. After you upgrade WSUS 2.0 to WSUS 3.0, the Windows Server Update Services Configuration Wizard launches automatically. Close the wizard, and then go to the next step of this procedure.
- Restore the WSUS 3.0 databases, updates, and log files.
Uninstalling and reinstalling SBS 2003 R2 components on a server that is already running WSUS 3.0
This sounds silly, but it turns out that you cannot reinstall Windows SBS 2003 R2 components if the Setup program detects that you have WSUS 3.0 installed on the server. Therefore, in order to reinstall Windows SBS 2003 R2 components on your server, you must do the following:
- Back up the WSUS 3.0 databases, updates, and log files.
- Uninstall WSUS 3.0.
- Uninstall Windows SBS 2003 R2 components.
- Reinstall Windows SBS 2003 R2 components in Maintenance Mode.
- Upgrade WSUS 2.0 to WSUS 3.0.
- Restore the WSUS 3.0 databases, updates, and log files.