Update Repository
After
importing the update catalog into the ConfigMgr database, you can
browse and search the catalog using the Update Repository node under
Software Updates in the ConfigMgr console, displayed in Figure 2.
Under the Update Repository node are subfolders for each update
classification you chose to include in the update catalog. These
folders are divided further into subfolders, based on vendor and then
product. A separate subfolder also exists under the Update Repository
for updates specific to WSUS Infrastructure Updates; this node is
always included and you cannot disable it.
Using
the Search Folders subfolder, you can define custom queries based on
attributes of the patches. These attributes include the following:
Release date
Knowledgebase article ID
Software product
Update type
The search folders you create are dynamic and reevaluated each time you access them.
Search
folders are the easiest way to find updates and should be your starting
point for working with updates and patches. To create a new search
folder, perform the following steps:
1. | Right-click
the Search Folders node and then select New Search Folder. This
launches the Search Folder Criteria dialog box displayed in Figure 3, which is similar to the Rules Wizard in Microsoft Outlook.
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2. | You must give your new search folder a name and define the update properties for filtering.
The following list includes the properties most commonly used to filter updates:
- Date Released—
The filter for this property is not a specific date; it is the date an
update was released relative to today’s date. Some possible filter
values include last 1 day, last 1 month, and last 1 year.
- Product—
With this filter, you can limit your query to specific products. The
filter list includes all products, not just the ones that you
configured to include in the update catalog.
- Severity—
Many updates from Microsoft, particularly security patches, are
categorized according to how important Microsoft feels they are. The
severity property of an update captures this information.
- Superseded—
Some updates released by Microsoft are superseded by newer updates
because they were either flawed or rolled into the newer update. It is
usually not a good idea to deploy superseded patches; you can filter
them out with this property. Possible values include Yes and No.
- Update Classification—
As this property’s name implies, you can filter updates based on their
classification. Possible filter values include all available update
classifications, not only the ones you chose to include in the update
catalog.
Note that some properties cannot be
used to filter updates, even though they appear in the Search Folder
Criteria dialog box. These are marked with the trailing comment
(property is not searchable) and include % Compliant, Language, License
Terms, Maximum Run Time, and Nap Evaluation. Somewhat
confusing in this figure is the check box labeled Search all folders
under this feature. Here are some points to keep in mind when using
this check box: If the option is checked,
the Search Folder queries the entire update repository. For most simple
searches, you should check this option. If
this option is unchecked, the Search Folder only searches the current
folder in the ConfigMgr console, enabling you to build nested queries
or a hierarchical Search Folder structure. The search folder displayed in Figure 3 queries the entire update repository for all Windows XP critical updates in the last month.
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After
creating a search folder and selecting it from the console tree, you
can view and sort updates in the Details pane circled on the right of Figure 4. You can also select an update and view extended information about it in the pane appearing at the bottom. You can
right-click an update and select Properties to view some of the same
extended details in a dialog box, update the maximum runtime, and
assign a custom severity. You can then use the custom severity assigned
to updates to refine further the queries used for search folders.
