Patch process using ITMU v3 and SMS 2003
I’m patching end user clients only (no servers) only and this process accommodates a business requirement to patch machines but not force a reboot for 4 days.
- Install patches use SMS Notification of the need to reboot. About 65-70% of users reboot within 1 business day.
- Notification Nag continues for 4 days from install
- Use ITMU to force a reboot at 5pm on the 4th day
Patching details
- Microsoft Updates Tool Sync– Downloads the latest Windows Update Catalog on Patch Tuesday
- Advertisment schedule for every Tuesday @ 3pm and 11pm. 3pm for normal MS patch release and 11pm to catch when they are a little late.
- Confirm ‘wsusscn2.cab’ has a current time stamp: \Program Files\Microsoft Updates Inventory Tool\PkgSource
- Microsoft Updates Tool– Distributes the above Windows Update Catalog to clients and scans for status
- Advertised to run daily at 4am
- Create Patch Packages – * See details below
- Create per OS packages to limit download size for field/VPN and slow link clients
- Create Patch Advertisements– * See details below
- Set to run daily
- Download if not local
- Test – Wednesday through Friday
- Did I screw anything up test – Local on 3 OS’es in my lab to ensure packages and advertisements are all functional
- Real testing – deploy to field and office test group on all OS’es. I use IT and a set group of customers that use a variety of apps and connectivity scenarios
- Deploy
- Friday afternoon
- Send out per OS Advertisements scheduled to run Sunday morning at 6am recurring daily
- Reboot – 3rd Wednesday
- Update the patch packages to force a reboot for anyone who hasn’t
- Monitor Compliance
- Using the above process I generally get 65-70% compliance by end fo day monday with another 30% pending reboot
- After 4 days and the Wednesday forced reboot complaince is around 90%
- Over the next week I monitor as field users and offline boxes connect and bring complaince above 95+%
Creating Patch Packages – Command line switches for Patchinstall.exe http://www.myitforum.com/articles/8/view.asp?id=8052
2 thoughts on “ITMU 3 – deploying patches with SMS 2003 SP3”
Did you get an answer for the command line switches to use to accomplish patching forcing a reboot after 4 days?
Would you mind posting what your command line switches look like? I know you have the MyITForum link posted but just interested in what you are using. Thanks!