Complete Guide: How to Install and Automate WSUS

Install WSUS

Prerequisites

Before installing WSUS (Windows Server Update Services), ensure you have the following:

• Certificates: Required for secure Windows update management.
• Usage Decision: Will you use WSUS for patch caching (to save bandwidth) or full management of installations?

Group Setup

In this example, we will set up 3 groups for better management:

• Pilot: Used to test patches.
• Global1: First large-scale deployment group.
• Global2: Final deployment group.

To install WSUS, follow this guide: Install WSUS Server

Automate Patch Assignments to Groups

WSUS can be automated to push patches through different groups based on timing:

• Pilot Group: Newly synced patches are first tested in this group.
• Global1 Group: After X days, patches are automatically assigned to Global1 using scripts.
• Global2 Group: Finally, patches are moved to Global2 for final deployment after another delay.

For further details, read this guide: Automate Assign Patch to Group

Creating a WSUS Dashboard

By using a scheduled task, you can generate automated reports showing patch statuses across your deployment groups. This dashboard allows you to track:

• Patch status per group
• Device-specific update statuses

This dashboard ensures your WSUS patching process remains streamlined and provides clear insights into update progress across your organization.