Advanced Synchronization Options

Advanced synchronization features include various options to manage bandwidth and store updates. There is a description of each of these features, including reasons why these features are useful and their limitations, in Determine Where to Store WSUS Updates and Determine Bandwidth Options to Use earlier in this guide.

Update storage options

Use the Update Files section to determine whether update files will be stored on WSUS or if client computers will connect to the Internet to get updates from Microsoft Update. There is a description of this feature in Determine Where to Store WSUS Updates earlier in this guide.

To specify where updates are stored

  1. In the left pane of the WSUS Administration console, click Options.

  2. In Update Files and Languages, click the Update Files tab.

  3. If you want to store updates in WSUS, select the Store update files locally on this server check box. If you want clients to connect to the Internet to get updates, then select the Do not store updates locally; computers install updates from Microsoft Update check box**.**

Important

You can always change from storing updates on Microsoft Update to storing updates locally. However, you must make sure that the disk on which you choose to store updates has enough space for the updates. See Determine WSUS Capacity Requirements for a discussion of disk space for local storage. If there is not enough disk space to make the change, you may damage the WSUS installation.

Deferred downloads options

Use the Update Files section to determine if updates should be downloaded during synchronization or when the update is approved. Find a description of this feature in "Deferring the Download of Updates" in Determine Bandwidth Options to Use earlier in this guide.

To specify whether updates are downloaded during synchronization or when the update is approved

  1. In the left pane of the WSUS Administration console, click Options.

  2. In Update Files and Languages, click the Update Files tab.

  3. If you want to download only metadata about the updates during synchronization, select the Download updates to this server only when updates are approved check box. This is the default option. If you want the update files and metadata during synchronization, clear the check box.

Express installation files options

Use the Update Files section to determine if express installation files should be downloaded during synchronization. Find a description of this feature in “Using Express installation files” in Determine Bandwidth Options to Use earlier in this guide.

To specify whether express installation files are downloaded during synchronization

  1. In the left pane of the WSUS Administration console, click Options.

  2. In Update Files and Languages, click the Update Files tab.

  3. If you want to download express installation files, select the Download express installation files check box. If you do not want to download express installation files, clear the check box.

Filtering updates options

Use the Languages section to select the language of the updates to synchronize. There is a description of this feature in “Filtering updates” in Determine Bandwidth Options to Use earlier in this guide.

To specify language options

  1. In the left pane of the WSUS Administration console, click Options.

  2. In Update Files and Languages, click the Update Languages tab.

  3. In the Advanced Synchronization Options dialog box, under Languages, select one of the following language options, and then click OK.

    • Download updates in all languages, including new languages: This means that all languages will be downloaded during synchronization. If a new language is added, it will be automatically downloaded.

    • Download updates only in these languages: This means that only updates targeted to the languages you select will be downloaded during synchronization. If you choose this option, you must also choose each language you want from the list of those available.

Note

If you change language options, Microsoft recommends that you manually synchronize them between the centrally managed WSUS server and its replica servers. Changing language options on the centrally managed server alone might result in a mismatch between the number of updates that are approved on it and the number of updates approved on the replica servers.