Step 5: Synchronize the Server

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server Update Services

After you configure the network connection, you can obtain updates. By default, WSUS is configured to download Critical and Security Updates for all Microsoft products. To get updates, you must synchronize the WSUS server.

Synchronization involves the WSUS server contacting Microsoft Update. After making contact, WSUS determines if any new updates have been made available since the last time you synchronized. Because this is the first time you are synchronizing the WSUS server, all of the updates are available and are ready for your approval for installation.

Note

This paper describes synchronizing using the default settings, but WSUS includes options that enable you to minimize bandwidth use during synchronization. For more information, see the “Deploying Microsoft Server Windows Update Services” white paper.

To synchronize your WSUS server

  1. On the WSUS console toolbar, click Options, and then click Synchronization Options.

  2. Under Tasks, click Synchronize now.

After the synchronization finishes, click Updates on the WSUS console toolbar to view the list of updates.