IT Forum 2004: Windows Update Services goes into public beta

By Alun Williams

Posted on 17 Nov 2004 at 11:38

Microsoft is in the process of changing the way its software updates can be automatically loaded - Windows Update Services (WUS) has gone into public beta.

The new update services enables IT admins to mediate which updates from Microsoft will be available to end users (whether they are originally Windows updates, office updates or releases from the download centre). It may be appropriate, for example, for one set of end-users to receive an update but for another set to be exempt. Active Directory can be used to determine updates by group policies.

Aimed at medium- to large-scale enterprises, the system uses the Windows Server 2003 platform.

The move is part of a wider security-focused review of how people and companies can receive software updates and patches, explained Steven Adler, Microsoft Infrastructure Architect.

The recent release of Windows XP Service Pack 2, for example, highlighted the need for organisations to throttle back the release of such major updates to their own clients until full testing had been carried out.

You can download the beta and find more information on Windows Update Services at the Microsoft website.