Migrate Windows Server Update Services data and settings

  • Article

Published: January 28, 2011

Updated: January 28, 2011

Applies To: Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard

Note

This is an optional task. If you did not change the Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) default settings on the Source Server, WSUS on the Destination Server will, over time, reach the same level of update compliance, update approvals, and computer group membership as the Source Server.

To migrate WSUS, you must export software updates and metadata from the Source Server, and then import them to the Destination Server, as described in the following steps.

  1. Install WSUS 3.0 on Windows SBS 2003

  2. Run the Server Cleanup Wizard

  3. Set up the WSUS replica server

  4. Replicate the WSUS database

  5. Verify that the replication is successful

  6. Make the Destination Server the stand-alone WSUS server

  7. Verify WSUS Computer Groups

Install WSUS 3.0 on Windows SBS 2003

You must have the same versions of WSUS on the Source Server and Destination Server to migrate WSUS data.

Run the Server Cleanup Wizard

When you run the Server Cleanup Wizard on the Source Server, it deletes duplicate, unused, and expired updates. It also deletes updates for computers that have not contacted the server.

To run the Server Cleanup Wizard

  1. On the Source Server, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0. SP1.

  2. In the Update Services navigation pane, expand SourceServerName, and then click Options.

  3. In the results pane, click Server Cleanup Wizard.

  4. In the WSUS Server Cleanup Wizard, ensure that all options are selected, and then click Next.

  5. When the wizard completes, click Finish.

Set up the WSUS replica server

Set up WSUS on the Destination Server to replicate the WSUS database on the Source Server. This makes the Source Server the upstream server for WSUS on the Destination Server.

To set up WSUS on the Destination Server as a replica

  1. On the Destination Server, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1.

  2. On the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

  3. In the Update Services navigation pane, expand DestinationServerName, and then click Options.

  4. In the results pane, click Update Source and Proxy Server.

  5. On the Update Source tab, click Synchronize from another Windows Server Update Services server, type the name of the Source Server in the Server name text box, and then in the Port number text box, type the port number that WSUS is using on the Source Server.

Note

If you do not know the port number that WSUS is using on the Source Server, use the following procedure: To determine the port number that Update Services is using on the Source Server.

  1. Select the This server is a replica of the upstream server check box, and then click OK.

To determine the port number that WSUS is using on the Source Server

  1. On the Source Server, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1.

  2. On the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

  3. In the Update Services navigation pane, click ServerName.

  4. In the results pane, note the port number listed in the Overview section and Connection sub-section.

Replicate the WSUS database

WSUS on the Destination Server synchronizes with WSUS on the Source Server, and then downloads the database.

To replicate the WSUS database to the Destination Server

  1. On the Destination Server, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1.

  2. On the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

  3. In the Update Services navigation pane, click DestinationServerName.

  4. In the results pane, in the Overview section, and in Synchronization Status subsection, click Synchronize Now. The synchronization process starts and provides tracking information by changing Synchronize Now to Synchronization: xx%, where xx is the percent complete.

  5. When the synchronization finishes, Last Synchronization is updated with the date and time that is finishes.

After the synchronization finishes, the WSUS database starts downloading from the Source Server to the Destination Server.

Note

Do not begin monitoring the database download until the synchronization finishes successfully. There may be a delay of several minutes before the download begins.

To verify that the download finishes successfully

  1. On the Destination Server, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0. SP1.

  2. On the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

  3. In the Update Services navigation pane, click DestinationServerName.

  4. In the results pane, in the Overview section, and in the Download Status subsection, Updates Needing Files counts down to zero when the download is complete.

If the synchronization and download do not finish successfully, do the following:

  • Verify that the server name and the port number are correct on the Update Source and Proxy Server page.

  • Analyze the details of the failure. You can find details about the download on the Synchronizations node on the Update Services navigation pane.

Verify that the replication is successful

When the database replication finishes, you should verify that the replica on the Destination Server matches the database on the Source Server.

Note

Do not attempt to verify the replication until you verify that the WSUS database download finished.

Examine the number of files in the WSUSContent folder. The number of files in the %SYSTEMDRIVE%\WSUS\WSUSContent folder on the Destination Server should match the number of files in the %SYSTEMDRIVE%\WSUS\WSUSContent folder on the Source Server.

If the folder contents do not match, make sure that the file download is finished. If not, wait until the file download does finish, and then check again.

Make the Destination Server the stand-alone WSUS server

In this step, you set the Destination Server as the stand-alone WSUS server, so it can start receiving updates directly from Microsoft Update.

To set the stand-alone server

  1. On the Destination Server, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1.

  2. On the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

  3. In the Update Services navigation pane, click DestinationServerName, and then click Options.

  4. In the results pane, click Update Source and Proxy Server.

  5. On the Update Source tab, clear the This server is a replica of the upstream server check box.

  6. Select the Synchronize from Microsoft Update check box, and then click OK.

Verify WSUS Computer Groups

The Computer Groups that are set up in WSUS are used by Windows SBS 2011 Standard to determine which computers on your network receive updates. In the Windows SBS 2011 Standard Console, you can specify which computers belong to the Included and Excluded Computer Groups.

To verify the definitions of the WSUS Computer Groups

  1. On the Destination Server, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Microsoft Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP1.

  2. On the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

  3. In the Update Services navigation pane, expand DestinationServerName, expand Computers, and then expand All Computers.

  4. Verify that the following Computer Groups are listed:

    • Unassigned Computers

    • Update Services Excluded Computers

    • Update Services Client Computers

    • Update Services Server Computers

  5. If the Update Services Excluded Computers group does not exist, do the following to create it:

    Create the Update Services Excluded Computers group

    1. Right-click All Computers, and then click Add Computer Group.

    2. In the Add Computer Group dialog box, type Update Services Excluded Computers in the Name text box, and then click Add.