SUS and SMS?

Many questions and concerns seem to arise around SMS and SUS. While the two can overlap, its important to understand their similarities and their differences.

SUS and the Automatic Update Service

  • The SUS Client is built into Windows
  • Configuration is done with the registry
  • Automatic Update Service
  • Used by both SUS and Windows Update for automatic installs
  • Can be configured by users to download and install at a specific time

Concern when both SUS and the SMS 2003 Advanced Client are installed

  • May overlap with an SMS patch and inconvenience the user with an extra reboot.
  • When using the Deploy Software Updates Wizard to create the package, SMS will scan for the patch before installing.
  • SMS should not cause an extra reboot as the patch would already be installed and SMS scanned for it one last time before attempting to install the patch.
  • If the patch needs to be rebooted to be effective and the machine has not been rebooted yet, then SMS could be configured to have the machine reboot.
  • Testing is never a bad idea.
  • If SUS installs a patch, but needs a reboot, a patch may still be considered applicable. SMS would install the patch again (or just blow through it as the files are already in place), and then prompt for, or trigger a reboot. (Or do nothing if the admin so chooses).
  • If SUS has installed a patch, and rebooted, SMS would recognized that the patch was in place and it would not run the install again. Therefore no extra reboot in either case.
  • Only issue is if SMS packages contain more patches than SUS distribution, and therefore SUS sends X and Y patches, which are applied, machine is rebooted. SMS distributes X, Y, and Z, then Z would still run, and would be a second reboot.

Don't forget, when using SUS (or the newer WUS) with SMS 2003, you can use inventory to identify those computers and treat them differently. Registry keys are a good way to identify computers using SUS (so you might update your SMS_DEF.MOF).

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