Those who use WSUS

[2Xtreme21]

What settings, particularly the GP settings, do you find most beneficial for your users? I currently have automatic install enabled, but not automatic restart... so I always seem to have clients who NEVER get their updates installed because they never bother to turn their PC's off.

Anyone with experience in using WSUS, what do you find most helpful to you?

 

[tyanni]

First of all, security is more important than a few annoyed users. That being said, you can make it easier - we have ours set to install immed. but reboot at 10 p.m. That way, if the machine is left on, then it reboots at night.

 

[Genx87]

I have it set to install automatically but not reboot. Instead they get an annoying popup every 60 mins to reboot the machine. I find this easier on my users instead of forcing a reboot which can seriously screw up some applications if they have open files.

Ill authorize patches in the morning. By the mid to late afternoon they are installed awaiting a reboot. The next morning only a couple of people will still be unpatched. Within 48 hours 99% of the time everybody is patched and good to go.

Having worked in a situation where we used SMS instead and forced reboots , 48 hours would have been a miracle to have every machine patched

 

[tyanni]

Training is key here. Users need to understand that security is important - my users know that we will force reboots at some point if its necessary for security. Most users shutdown at night, and if the machine is left on and it reboots, oh well.

 

[spidey07]

heh, here you get a warning that your computer is going to be rebooted in 2 minutes, save your stuff, but your machine IS getting booted.

That's what you call training.

Kinda like when a dog does his business you have to rub their nose in it? This is the same thing, you have to train them.

 

[brockj]

I have ours set to auto install, but they manually have to reboot. We do not run into too many issues with it this way. The real problem we run into is people not leaving thier machines on at night!! But as said before, training is key