How to Import Content From a Catalog in Essentials
Applies To: System Center Essentials 2010
In System Center Essentials 2010, you can import catalogs and distribute software and updates from Microsoft or from other software vendors to your IT environment. Essentials 2010 can detect available pre-verified partner catalogs based on scans of your environment, or you can import a catalog from a specified URL. The catalog content provided by hardware and software vendors is compressed into a .cab file, and usually signed by a certificate corresponding to that vendor. Use the following procedures to acquire content from a catalog.
To import updates from partner catalogs
In the Essentials console, click Updates, and then click Import updates from partner catalogs in the Updates Overview pane.
When the Update Catalog Import Wizard opens, click Next.
Important
A dialog box appears warning you that files downloaded from the Internet can potentially harm your computer and asks if you want to continue. Click Yes to continue.
On the Select Product Catalog page, click Yes, import the specified catalog to import updates from a partner catalog, select the catalog from the drop-down list, and then click Next.
Note
If you choose to import a catalog from a specific URL or file location, click No, import a catalog from the following URL, type the URL into the provided text box, for example, www.example.com/file.cab or C:\Directory\File.cab, and then click Next.
On the Review the Catalog page, a progress bar appears while Essentials locates the catalog. A dialog box appears with details about the update source, warning you that content from catalogs can potentially harm computers. If you trust the source, click Yes; otherwise click No.
When the catalog has loaded, you can review the list of all importable packages and non-importable packages and see details about what each package contains. When you have finished reviewing the update details, click Import.
Tip
We recommend that you leave the check box selected to create a view for this catalog in Essentials.
On the Import the Catalog page, a progress bar is displayed while Essentials imports the updates. When all the updates have been imported, click Finish, and you will be returned to the new view that you created in the wizard. The view that you create for software and updates from non-Microsoft catalogs provides the same level of detail as displayed for Microsoft updates, including deployment status reports.
To import updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog
In the Essentials console, click Updates, and then click Import from Microsoft Update Catalog in the Updates Overview pane.
The Microsoft Update Catalog Web site opens in a Web browser. Use the text box to type the name of the software that you want to import, and then click Search.
Click Add to add the file or files to your basket. When you have finished adding files, click the view basket link.
Review the files you have selected. If you want to download the file without importing it directly into Essentials, clear the check box, and then click Import.
Note
If you have chosen to import the file, a new window will open and display the status of the import. If the import fails, click the Failed link under the Progress column for that update; a new window will open with an error description to help you resolve the issue.
When the import is completed, click Close.
Important
If you import management packs from a partner catalog or a Microsoft Update Catalog and receive an error message stating, The requested management pack was invalid. See inner exception for details. Parameter name: management pack name, Essentials 2010 has not determined the correct order to import the management packs. If this occurs, import the management packs that were omitted.
See Also
Tasks
How to Create an Update Package in Essentials
How to View Synchronization Status in Essentials