Tips for Installing WSUS 3.0 SP2 on Windows Server

WSUS is a computer program developed by Microsoft Corporation that allows administrators to handle the circulation of updates and hotfixes released for Microsoft products to computers in a commercial atmosphere. WSUS downloads these updates from the Microsoft Update website and then distributes them to computers on a network. The WSUS infrastructure allows automatic downloads of updates, hotfixes, service packs, device drivers and feature packs to clients in an organization from a central server(s). Firstly, WSUs 3.0 SP2 installation requires name of the domain for instance XYZ.LOCAL in which the Domain controller XY.XYZ.LOCAL will be running DNS service along with Active Directory Domain Services. The WSUS role will be installed on XY.XYZ.LOCAL machine. The WSUS installation and configuration will be performed using this account; the user account xygzdmin will be the member of domain admins group. To login to the client machine CLIENT.XYZ.LOCAL, users need to create a domain user called “test“.

For installing the prerequisites, you need to log into WSUS.XYZ.LOCAL with the user account xygzdmin. Launch the Server Manager, right click Features, and click Add Features. On the Select Features Page click .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features, a window will pop up asking you to install additional role services, click on Add Required Role Services. Click Next. The following IIS services is necessary to be installed and operated for WSUS to work:

•             HTTP Static Content

•             ASP.NET

•             Windows authentication

•             Dynamic content compression

•             IIS Metabase Compatibility

Once you have nominated the services, click on Install. The selected services will be installed. Click Close.  Before we start the WSUS installation, we require software termed as Microsoft Report viewer redistributable 2008.  Double click the report viewer setup file and click ‘Next’. Receive the license terms and click Install. Once the setup is completed, click ‘Finish’.

Installing WSUS 3.0 SP2 on Windows Server

1. Double click the file WSUS30-XYZ.exe. On the Setup Wizard page click on ‘Next’.

2. Select Full Server installation comprising Administrator Console. Click Next.

3. Go through the license terms and click on ‘I accept the terms of the license agreement. Click Next’.

4. We will store the updates locally and the updates will store on other drive E. It’s not wise to save the updates on C drive because if the OS crashes then the updates will be removed along with it. Click Next.

5. Click on first option, Use the existing IIS Default web site. Click Next.

6. It would take approximately 2-3 minutes for complete installation. Once it is completed, click on ‘Finish’.