Understanding Windows Updates
You can use OS Management Hub to manage Windows updates by managing instances or groups and scheduling update jobs.
- Update Types Available for Windows Instances
- OS Management Hub can't install some updates
- Update Management Tasks
- Best Practices
-
Important
If you have enabled active hours on your Windows instances, don't schedule updates during active hours. OS Management Hub doesn't install updates that are scheduled during active hours.
Update Types Available for Windows Instances
Windows updates have several types. OS Management Hub uses four update categories and each Windows update type is mapped to one of those categories.
| OS Management Hub Category | Windows Update Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Definition | A broadly released and frequent software update containing additions to a product's definition database. Definition databases are often used to detect objects with specific attributes, such as malicious code, phishing Web sites, or junk e-mail. |
| Security | Security | A broadly released fix for a product-specific security-related vulnerability. Security vulnerabilities are rated based on their severity which is indicated in the Microsoft security bulletin as critical, important, moderate, or low. |
| Bug | Critical | A broadly released fix for a specific problem addressing a critical, non-security related bug. |
| Bug | Drivers | A software component necessary to control or regulate another device. |
| Bug | Updates | A broadly released fix for a specific problem addressing a noncritical, non-security-related bug. |
| Enhancement | Feature Packs | New product functionality that is first distributed outside the context of a product release, and usually included in the next full product release. |
| Enhancement | Tools | A utility or feature that aids in accomplishing a task or set of tasks. |
| Other | Service Packs | A tested, cumulative set of all hotfixes, security updates, critical updates and updates, as well as additional fixes for problems found internally since the release of the product. Service packs may also contain a limited number of customer-requested design changes or features. |
| Other | Update Rollups | A tested, cumulative set of hotfixes, security updates, critical updates, and updates packaged together for easy deployment. A rollup generally targets a specific area, such as security, or a component of a product, such as Internet Information Services "IIS". |
| Other | Microsoft | Microsoft related applications that need updates. |
OS Management Hub can't install some updates
Some Windows updates require manual installation. Often these updates require confirmation from the user before they can be installed, therefore OS Management Hub is unable to automatically install theses updates. You must sign in to the instance and install the update directly from the OS.
OS Management Hub can't install a Windows update when:
- Update requires an end user licensing acceptance agreement
- Update requires user input
- Update requires media source (such as a CD/ROM or USB drive with the image)
To determine if an update is uninstallable by the service:
- Under List scope, select the compartment that contains the instance.
- Click the name of the instance.
-
Under Resources, click Updates.
Tip
Use the search box to find a specific update. - On the right side of the update entry, click the down arrow to expand the details.
- "Installable by OS Management Hub: No" indicates the updates requires manual installation.
Update Management Tasks
Use the following tasks to manage updates for Windows instances and groups.