WSUS deployment: Step 2

Installing WSUS

1. Once the prep work is done, run WSUS Setup.

2. When the installation wizard starts, click Next to bypass the Welcome screen, and then go on to accept the license agreement.

3. The next screen you will see asks if you want to install updates locally. This screen is referring to the patches that WSUS downloads.

   If you can spare the disk space, it is best to store the patches on the WSUS server rather than downloading them each time they're needed -- but Setup indicates that storing patches locally requires 6 GB of disk space. WSUS doesn't actually download 6 GB worth of patches, but you need to have at least that much space set aside for downloading future patches.

4. The next screen that you will see asks which type of database you want to use. SQL Server will give you the best performance, but unless you just happen to have a spare SQL Server license or you have a huge organization, SQL Server really isn't necessary. You can choose instead to install the SQL Server Desktop Engine (typically referred to as MSDE). This component is free and included with WSUS, but using it will cost you another 2 GB of disk space.

5. After selecting your database, you will see a screen asking whether you want IIS to use the default Web site or create a new site. Unless you are using the machine's default Web site for something else, just choose the default Web site option and click Next.

6. Click Next again to skip the next screen, unless you have a huge organization and need to mirror another WSUS server.

7. You will now see a screen that displays a summary of the installation options that you have chosen. Click Next one more time and installation will begin.

8. Click Finish to complete the installation process.

WSUS deployment: Step-by-step guide

  Step 1: The prep work
  Step 2: Installing WSUS
  Step 3: Configuring WSUS
  Step 4: Configuring clients

Brien Posey

About the author
Brien M. Posey, MCSE, is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for his work with Windows 2000 Server and IIS. Brien has served as the CIO for a nationwide chain of hospitals and was once in charge of IT security for Fort Knox. As a freelance technical writer he has written for Microsoft, TechTarget, CNET, ZDNet, MSD2D, Relevant Technologies and other technology companies. You can visit Brien's personal Web site at http://www.brienposey.com.

This tip originally appeared on SearchExchange.com.