Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP2 Deployment Guide Abstract

WSUS Centralized Management (Replica Servers)

It is possible that not all the sites in your organization require the same computer groups. The important thing is to create enough computer groups on the administered server to satisfy the needs of the rest of the organization. Computers at different sites can be moved into a group appropriate for the site. Meanwhile, computer groups inappropriate for a particular site simply remain empty. All update approvals, like computer groups, must be created on the master server.

For step-by-step instructions, see Create Replica Servers later in this guide.

You should also make sure that the upstream server is configured for all the languages required by its replica servers. If you add languages to the upstream server, you should copy the new updates to its replica servers. Changing language options on the upstream server alone might result in a mismatch between the number of updates that are approved on the central server and the number of updates approved on the replica servers.

Distributed management

Distributed management offers you full control over approvals and computer groups for the

WSUS server, as shown in the "WSUS Distributed Management" illustration below. With the distributed management model, there is usually an administrator at each site who decides which update languages are needed, creates computer groups, assigns computers to groups, tests and approves updates, and ensures that the correct updates are installed on the right computer groups. Distributed management is the default installation option for all WSUS installations.

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WSUS Distributed Management

Choose the Database Used for WSUS 3.0

SP2

You do not need to be a database administrator or purchase database software to use WSUS.

WSUS 3.0 SP2 will install Windows Internal Database if you choose to install a minimal version of

SQL Server. This version of SQL Server is designed to require very little management by the

WSUS administrator. If you already have Windows Internal Database installed, WSUS will use it.

If you want more control over the database, you can also use the full version of SQL Server with

WSUS.

The WSUS database stores the following types of information:

 WSUS server configuration information

 Metadata that describes each update

 Information about client computers, updates, and client interaction with updates

Important

You should not attempt to manage WSUS by accessing data directly in the database.

Manage WSUS by using the WSUS console, or programmatically by calling WSUS APIs.

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