Updating Windows Vista Lesson 10

Skills Matrix Technology SkillObjective Domain SkillDomain # Understanding UpdatesApply security patches and updates Apply and troubleshoot updates Troubleshoot Restart Manager Understanding Windows Server Update Services Apply security patches and updates Apply and troubleshoot updates

Skills Matrix Technology SkillObjective Domain SkillDomain # Configuring Windows Server Update Services Clients Configure Windows Update Agent 3.4 Configuring Automatic Updating Configure Windows Update Agent 3.4 Monitoring Performance and Reliability Troubleshoot performance and reliability issues Establish and monitor performance baselines by using built-in tools 3.4

Skills Matrix Technology SkillObjective Domain SkillDomain # Understanding Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure Use Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure to collect and troubleshoot issues 3.4 Configuring WDI Through Group Policy Use Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure to collect and troubleshoot issues 3.4 Using the Reliability and Performance Monitor Troubleshoot performance and reliability issues Establish and monitor performance baselines by using built-in tools 3.4

Automatic Updating – Automates the process of downloading updates from either an internal update server or from Microsoft as well as installing updates. Understanding Updates

Microsoft provides updates through three websites for its operating systems and other software products.  Microsoft Update  Windows Update  Microsoft Office Update Understanding Updates (cont.) Understanding Updates

To help keep your updates current, Microsoft provides Automatic Updating, which enables you to automate the downloading and installation of updates from Windows Update and Microsoft Update (or from internal update servers, such as Windows Server Update Services 3.0 [WSUS]). Understanding Updates (cont.) Understanding Updates

In Windows Vista, you can access Windows Update by using the Windows Update control panel. From there, you can:  Manually check for updates  Configure Automatic Updating settings  View update history  Restore hidden updates. Hidden updates – Updates that you have asked Windows not to notify you about or install automatically Understanding Updates (cont.) Understanding Updates

Two prominent Microsoft tools that can centrally manage update deployment are System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and Windows Software Update Server 3.0 (WSUS). Enterprises must be careful when deploying updates because they can cause software to stop working or behave differently, thus disrupting operations (sometimes with severe consequences). Understanding Updates (cont.) Understanding Updates

Restart Manager – Limits the number of restarts needed after updates or installations by checking whether the part of the system that needs updating can be updated without affecting the system adversely. If a reboot is required, Restart Manager takes a snapshot of the system state. It then restarts and returns the system back to the state it was in before the restart. Understanding Updates (cont.) Understanding Updates

Windows Server Update Services – Enables you to manage the deployment of updates by directing workstations to download updates from internal WSUS servers. Understanding Windows Server Update Services Understanding Updates

To use WSUS:  Install WSUS server on one or more servers on your network.  Configure WSUS server to download updates from Microsoft or from another WSUS server.  Configure WSUS servers to make updates available to clients. Understanding Windows Server Update Services (cont.) Understanding Updates

To use WSUS (cont.):  Configure your workstations (WSUS clients) to get updates from the WSUS servers.  Track the deployment of updates by using WSUS. Understanding Windows Server Update Services (cont.) Understanding Updates

WSUS can be divided into two components.  Windows Server Update Services server – This component is installed on a Windows Server 2003 SP1 or later server inside the enterprise firewall. The WSUS server enables administrators to manage and distribute updates by using the WSUS 3.0 Administration console.  Automatic Updating – Client application that enables workstations to receive updates. Understanding Windows Server Update Services (cont.) Understanding Updates

Configuring computers in your network to be WSUS clients and to receive updates from an internal WSUS server is a matter of configuring the appropriate Group Policy settings. Configuring Windows Server Update Services Clients Understanding Updates

Configuring WSUS Clients Through Group Policy Understanding Updates Configure Automatic Updates Properties dialog box

Configuring WSUS Clients Through Group Policy (cont.) Understanding Updates Specify intranet Microsoft update service location Properties dialog box with example settings

Configuring WSUS Clients Through Group Policy (cont.) Understanding Updates Reschedule Automatic Updates scheduled installations Properties dialog box with example settings

Click Start. In the Start Search text box, type Windows Update, and then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter. Provide administrator credentials, and then click OK. The Windows Update control panel appears. In the task list, click Change Settings. The Windows Update > Change Settings control panel appears. Configuring Automatic Updating Locally Understanding Updates

Select one of the following:  Install updates automatically (recommended)  Download updates but let me choose whether to install them  Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them  Never check for updates (not recommended) Configuring Automatic Updating Locally (cont.) Understanding Updates

Uninstalling Updates Understanding Updates If an update is causing problems or you suspect that it is, you can uninstall it.

You can use Group Policy to manage Automatic Updating settings centrally for many computers simultaneously. Automatic Updating-related Group Policy settings are configured in the Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update folder of Group Policy objects. Managing Updates Understanding Updates

You can use built-in tools, such as the Reliability and Performance Monitor, to analyze the reliability and performance of Windows Vista workstations. Monitoring Performance and Reliability

Some reasons why you might want to monitor the performance of an individual workstation:  A user complains that the performance of his machine has degraded.  You want to test updates in a lab environment before deploying them.  You want to see whether the application of an update effects performance. Monitoring Performance and Reliability (cont.) Monitoring Performance and Reliability

Advanced Tools Control Panel Monitoring Performance and Reliability Advanced Tools control panel

Viewing Performance-Related Events in Event Viewer Monitoring Performance and Reliability Open the Advanced Tools control panel. In the Advanced Tools control panel, click View performance details in Event log. Provide administrator credentials, and then click OK. Event Viewer appears with the Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > Diagnostics-Performance > Operational log open.

Viewing System Information in the System Information Tool Monitoring Performance and Reliability Information for a hard disk viewed using the System Information tool

Using the Reliability and Performance Monitor Monitoring Performance and Reliability Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor – Enables you to monitor and analyze system performance and reliability. The monitor is a combination and expansion of the following tools available in previous versions of Windows.  Performance Logs and Alerts (PLA)  Server Performance Advisor (SPA)  System Monitor

Using the Reliability and Performance Monitor (cont.) Monitoring Performance and Reliability Reliability and Performance Monitor with the root selected in the console tree

Using Performance Monitor Monitoring Performance and Reliability Performance Monitor – Found within the Reliability and Performance Monitor console. It enables you to view various historical or real- time data of performance counters. Performance counters – Measurements of system state or activity, such as CPU utilization as a percentage.

Adding Performance Counters Monitoring Performance and Reliability It is often useful to view more than a single counter at the same time. For example, you may want to see whether an application is bound in performance by memory or CPU resources. You can also add counters from different computers and view them from Performance Monitor.

Adding Performance Counters (cont.) Monitoring Performance and Reliability Add Counters dialog box with counters added

Removing Performance Counters Monitoring Performance and Reliability Suppose that after adding the entire category of Physical Disk performance counters, you decide that you want to remove the following:  Avg. Disk Read Queue Length  Avg. Disk Write Queue Length  Split IO/Sec Continue from the previous procedure.

Removing Performance Counters Monitoring Performance and Reliability In the details pane of the Reliability and Performance Monitor, press the Ctrl key. Click the following performance counters in the Performance counters list box to select each.  Avg. Disk Read Queue Length  Avg. Disk Write Queue Length  Split IO/Sec

Removing Performance Counters (cont.) Monitoring Performance and Reliability Click the red X in the menu bar at the top of the details pane, or press Delete.

Removing Performance Counters (cont.) Monitoring Performance and Reliability Graphing many performance counters simultaneously. The graph becomes incomprehensible, which can be remedied by hiding performance counters or by highlighting the one you want to study.

Showing or Hiding Performance Counters Monitoring Performance and Reliability Continue from the previous procedure. In the list box of performance counters in the details pane, clear the Current Disk Queue Length Show check box. Click Avg. Disk Queue Length to select it, and then press and hold the Shift key.

Showing or Hiding Performance Counters (cont.) Monitoring Performance and Reliability Scroll to the last performance counter, and click it to select all performance counters between the Avg. Disk Queue Length and the last performance counter. Right-click any selected performance counters, and then click Hide-Selected Counters.

Monitoring Performance and Reliability Highlighting a performance counter in the Performance Monitor Highlighting a Performance Counter

Freezing the Display Monitoring Performance and Reliability In the details pane, click the Pause button (containing a standard pause icon on it). To unfreeze the display, press the Play button (replaces the pause button). Keyboard shortcuts  Ctrl + F to freeze  Ctrl + U to unfreeze

Changing the Graph Type Monitoring Performance and Reliability In the details pane menu bar, click the arrow next to the Change graph type icon, and select one of the following.  Line  Histogram bar  Report

Using the Reliability Monitor Monitoring Performance and Reliability Reliability Monitor – Gives you a current snapshot and historical analysis of system reliability. It bases its analysis on data gathered in the event log by the Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure (WDI).

Using the Reliability Monitor (cont.) Monitoring Performance and Reliability Reliability Monitor showing a graph of system stability over time

Using the Reliability Monitor (cont.) Monitoring Performance and Reliability Below the graph of system stability over time are stability-related event indicators.  Red circle with white x – Represents an error event  Yellow triangle with black exclamation mark – Represents a warning event  White balloon text icon with small i – Represents an information only event

Understanding Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure (WDI) – Set of built-in monitoring tools, diagnostic logic, and solutions that helps users and administrators to diagnosis and resolve computer problems. Various components of WDI provide logging that can be viewed in Event Viewer and used for troubleshooting.

Understanding Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure (cont.) Understanding Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure WDI covers many areas, all of which can be controlled centrally by using Group Policy. Some components of WDI include the following:  Application Compatibility Diagnostics  Disk Diagnostics

Understanding Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure (cont.) Understanding Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure Some components of WDI include the following (cont.):  Windows Boot Performance Diagnostics  Windows Resource Exhaustion Detection and Resolution  Network diagnostics and troubleshooting

Configuring WDI Through Group Policy Understanding Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure You can manage WDI centrally by using Group Policy. You can limit WDI from giving users advice on how to solve problems and restrict it to simply diagnosing and logging.

Configuring WDI Through Group Policy (cont.) Understanding Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure Settings are located in the Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Troubleshooting and Diagnostics folder and subfolders of Group Policy objects.

Summary Automatic Updating automates the process of downloading updates from either an internal update server or from Microsoft as well as installing updates. Windows Server Update Services enables you to manage the deployment of updates by directing workstations to download updates from internal WSUS servers. You Learned

Summary You learned how to configure WSUS clients through Group Policy. You learned how to configure Automatic Updating either locally or by using Group Policy. You can use built-in tools, such as the Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor, to analyze the reliability and performance of Windows Vista workstations. You Learned

Summary You learned how to open the Advanced Tools control panel. You learned how to view performance-related events in Event Viewer. You learned how to view system information in the System Information tool. You Learned (cont.)

Summary The Reliability and Performance Monitor enables you to monitor and analyze system performance and reliability. You learned how to use the Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor. You learned how to connect to a remote computer with the Reliability and Performance Monitor. You Learned (cont.)

Summary The Performance Monitor is a component of the Reliability and Performance Monitor that enables you to analyze system performance. You learned how to add and remove performance counters in the Performance Monitor. You learned how to configure viewing settings in the Performance Monitor. You Learned (cont.)

Summary You learned how to configure Performance Monitor properties. The Reliability Monitor is a component of the Reliability and Performance Monitor that enables you to analyze system reliability. You learned how to use the Reliability Monitor to view reliability data. You Learned (cont.)

Summary The Windows Diagnostic Infrastructure (WDI) is a wide-ranging set of built-in monitoring tools, diagnostic logic, and solutions that helps users and administrators resolve computer problems. You learned how to manage WDI centrally by using Group Policy. You Learned (cont.)