I am very pleased to announce that WSUS 3.0 SP2 Beta is available today, January 26, via the Connect Site. All you have to do is sign in to your Connect account or sign up now in order to participate in the Beta program.

WSUS 3.0 SP2 Beta Overview

New Windows Server and Client Version Support

· Integration with Windows Server® 2008 R2

· Support for Windows 7® client

· Support for the BranchCache feature on Windows Server® 2008 R2

WSUS Beta Feature Improvements and Fixes

Auto-Approval Rules

· New functionality lets you specify the approval deadline date and time.

· You can now apply a rule to all computers or to specific computer groups.

Update Files and Languages

· This release provides improved handling of language selection on downstream servers. A new warning dialog appears when you download updates only for specified languages.

Cross-Version Compatibility

· The user interface is compatible between Service Pack 1 and Service Pack 2 for WSUS 3.0 on both the client and the server.

Software Updates

· Stability and reliability fixes for the WSUS server, such as support for IPV6 addresses greater than 40 characters.

· The approval dialog now sorts computer groups alphabetically by group name.

· Computer status report sorting icons are now functional in x64 environments.

· Fixed setup issues with database servers running Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008.

Thank you very much in advance for your participation. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Cecilia Cole

WSUS Program Manager

The following instructions enable WSUS administrators to setup WSUS to install WSUS 3.0 SP1 through Window Server 2008 SP1 Server Manager. The following update packages are used to upgrade previous versions of WSUS only and are not part of this discussion:

Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1 (KB948014)

Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1 for x64-based Systems (KB948014)

On the WSUS server, the admin must enable the Updates and Feature Packs classifications, select two new product categories, approve the update that upgrade Server Manager, and approve the package Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1 Dynamic Install for Windows Server 2008 (KB948014) (there’s one for x86 and one for x64). This specific WSUS package is targeted at Windows Server 2008 that DON’T have WSUS installed. This package will only install via Server Manager.

Deployment and/or usage scenarios

· Scenario A: Installing both KB940518 and KB948014 from WSUS

1. Windows Server 2008 SP1 is offered the KB940518 update. Installing this update on Windows Server 2008 SP1 updates Server Manager (SM) to manage or install the WSUS Role via its UI.

2. After successfully installing KB940518, the administrator can install the WSUS role using SM Add Role which uses the WUA APIs to download WSUS in a “hidden” product category. When SM launches the WSUS setup UI, the administrator can follow the WSUS setup UI to complete the installation.

3. After the installation succeeded, SM will need to be restarted to show the WSUS MMC Snap-in UI.

· Scenario B: Installing KB940518 after KB948014 has been installed

1. WSUS 3.0 SP1 has been installed on the Windows Server 2008 SP1 machine.

2. Administrator installs KB940518 update for SM.

3. Following restart of SM, WSUS is detected as installed by SM and can be managed within the SM UI/WSUS Snap-in.

WSUS Admin workflow

The workflow below will enable scenarios A & B described above. The following must be enabled or approved for end-to-end functionality. Note, enabling the classifications below WSUS will get updates in these classification for all categories, not just the categories specified below.

Product classifications needed:

a. Updates

b. Feature Packs

Categories that are needed

1. Windows Server 2008 Server Manager – Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) Dynamic Installer category is a container for WSUS updates mentioned previously. These updates are “hidden” such that user will never see a notification or be downloaded by WUA. These updates can only be download via the WUA APIs – Server Manager is using this method to download and start the install of WSUS.

2. Windows Server 2008 Server Manager Dynamic Installer category enables Windows Server 2008 Server Manager to dynamically discover and install when new updates are available for SM.

Updates that need to be approved dependent on your environment

a. The WSUS binaries used the in updates listed below are the same as those described in KB948014 and available on the Microsoft Download Center (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=f87b4c5e-4161-48af-9ff8-a96993c688df&DisplayLang=en). Note: Since the update is targeted at Windows Server 2008 that don’t have the WSUS role installed, these machines will report that the update “is needed”.

1. Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1 Dynamic Install for Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition (KB948014)

2. Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1 Dynamic Install for Windows Server 2008 (KB948014)

b. The following Server Manager updates needs to be approved:

1. Update for Windows Server 2008 Server Manager (KB940518)

2. Update for Windows Server 2008 Server Manager x64 Edition (KB940518)

More Information

3. More information on updates associated with these categories can be found at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940518 - “An update is available that integrates Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 into Server Manager in Windows Server 2008”

4. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948014/en-us -“Description of the Windows Server Update Services 3.0 Service Pack 1 package”

Thanks.