Software Update Installation: Best Practices
Use the best practices in this section to control the way the Software Updates Installation Agent installs updates on SMS client computers. You configure these settings by using the three Configure Agent Settings pages in the Distribute Software Updates Wizard.
Use command-line options for each software update in a package
To avoid repeated system restarts and unnecessary user interruption, you should specify command-line options to suppress automatic system restarts and user interface for each software update in a package. At runtime, the Software Updates Installation Agent determines whether a system restart is needed by any of the software updates being installed, and manages any required restarts according to the settings you specified for the program/package.
Specify a user countdown of at least 30 minutes
You configure the countdown period in the Wait <N> Minutes for User setting on the second Configure Installation Agent Settings page of the Distribute Software Updates Wizard. The countdown period gives users time to save documents and review the list of software updates that are being installed. This is especially important for computers that are running the Legacy Client when the default action that is specified after the countdown is Install updates or Perform restart.
Specify the default action as Postpone for less urgent updates, Install for urgent updates
You configure the default action with the After waiting setting on the second Configure Installation Agent Settings page of the Distribute Software Updates Wizard.
Calculate the grace period from Time detected for mobile users, Time authorized for desktops
By specifying that the Software Updates Installation Agent calculate the allowable grace period from Time detected, rather than Time authorized, you can level the load on low bandwidth connections and prevent a situation where a software update might become required for all mobile clients at the same time. For desktop users, calculating the grace period from Time Authorized ensures faster response time. Also, when you are authorizing new updates, be sure to check the detection time listed for the software update in inventory if you are calculating the grace period from Time Detected. Be aware that a large lag between the time a software update is detected and the time that it is actually authorized might shorten or eliminate the grace period in this case
You can configure this setting in the settings that become available when you set the Allow users to postpone installation for: option on the third Configure Installation Agent Settings page of the Distribute Software Updates Wizard.
Use program dependencies in software update installation programs
When a new computer enters the environment, it is possible for the Software Updates Installation Agent to run on the SMS client computer before the scan component of the software update inventory tool has ever run. If this happens, the Software Updates Installation Agent will fail because there will be no cached version of the scan component for it to use for its just-in-time scanning. If you notice this situation happening based on the specific status message for this condition, consider changing the dependent program settings for the Software Updates Installation Agent program to ensure SMS runs the scan component first. Note that this does not force the scan component to run each time the advertisement runs; only the first time that the new client runs this advertisement.
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