Extend Microsoft WSUS Patch Management Software

What is WSUS?

Windows Server Update Services, or WSUS, is a software developed by Microsoft. The main functionality of this built-in tool is to manage updates and the latest releases of Microsoft products. WSUS can make updates and patches available for use based on developer rollout or in response to newly discovered vulnerabilities within applications. It helps admins centralize updating applications throughout their environment and provides some automated capabilities to streamline this process. 

However, WSUS is limited only to Microsoft software and typically doesn’t meet the update needs for all administrators. Supplementary software like SolarWinds Patch Manager is built to make WSUS patching more comprehensive by using the same WSUS server infrastructure for the deployment, management, and reporting of third-party and custom packages in your environment.

What is WSUS patch management?

WSUS patch management is the process of testing, acquiring, and installing patches (code changes) on computer systems that use WSUS.

If you use Microsoft WSUS or SCCM for Microsoft patch management, it can be a challenge to maintain patches for third-party applications not natively supported by WSUS. With comprehensive WSUS management software, you won’t have to spend countless hours researching, scripting, packaging, and testing patches for third-party applications. The application patch management software in SolarWinds PM includes the research, scripting, packaging, and much of the testing needed for common third-party application patch management that can be easily and automatically synchronized with your WSUS server.

What is the difference between WSUS and SCCM patch management?

WSUS patch management is a centralized way of providing Windows updates, although it does not provide third-party patches. System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) patch management is also a centralized application, but it offers more capabilities than WSUS alone. 

SCCM provides more comprehensive lifecycle management for applications, including third-party application management, tools for reporting on security status, and capabilities for managing large numbers of machines from a unified dashboard. SCCM is useful for larger companies because it can manage a large group of computers on a variety of operating systems. 

WSUS makes system updates to the connected devices in the network, while SCCM performs systems management on systems that are not necessarily connected to each other.

Why is WSUS patch management important?

A comprehensive WSUS patch management tool is important when managing patches installed on more than one workstation to help minimize the security risk posed by non-updated applications. By repairing vulnerabilities across many systems and identifying missing or defective patches, effective WSUS patch management can help your computer network stay updated and safe.

The Microsoft Windows enterprise patch management solution in Patch Manager is designed to provide total control of the patch management process with immediate updates, scheduling, reboots, and detailed updates on approval management across the environment, which may otherwise be limited or exclude third-party and custom application patches.

What does WSUS patch management software do?

The WSUS patch management software in SolarWinds Patch Manager is built to extend the capabilities of WSUS to offer additional automated features and tools. This software can help businesses automate their patch management processes and is designed to ease the burden of manual patching. It can also help address third-party patches, such as Java and Adobe, which is not a built-in WSUS capability. 

Patch Manager also includes features like automated notifications, which can alert admins to newly available patches, and signal various points of the patching process. It can also help ensure that patching and updates are extended to all machines throughout an IT infrastructure. Additionally, the WSUS patch management software in SolarWinds PM can allow admins to run reports on patching status and help demonstrate that organizations meet various compliance standards.

How does WSUS patch management work in Patch Manager?

Patch Manager optimizes WSUS patch management and is designed to automate the most strenuous processes. With Patch Manager, you can configure the Windows Update Agent using local policies, quickly make fixes using frequently used repair options, and check for failed patches. SolarWinds Patch Manager also provides advanced WSUS patch management functionality that gives you more control over Microsoft WSUS to save you hours of time with comprehensive automation features. 

The WSUS patch management software in SolarWinds PM helps companies using WSUS reduce the time associated with patch management by providing pre-built, tested, and ready-to-deploy packages for common third-party applications. Admins can also benefit from alerts that flag various points of the patching process, like newly-available patches or the completion of a patching session. 

Additionally, Patch Manager can:

• Report on both Microsoft and third-party patches and applications from a central point of control
• Publish to WSUS and deploy on your schedule
• Receive automatic email or “Outlook-style” pop-up alerts when new patches become available from vendors and when patches are synchronized
• Allow admins to choose or exclude the third-party patches needed, and then add links to other catalogs
• Automatically synchronize the Third-Party Updates Catalog and other catalogs on a schedule that is convenient for an organization
• Create custom packages to deploy on any MSI, MSP, or EXE through WSUS
• Select which updates or machines to deploy based on groups, dates, location, or other criteria
• Generate powerful management reports by using built-in reports, or create custom reports