Prepare to install in-console updates for Configuration Manager
Applies to: Configuration Manager (current branch)
Configuration Manager synchronizes with the Microsoft cloud service to get updates. Use the steps in this article to prepare your environment.
Get available updates
The site only downloads updates that apply to your infrastructure and version. This synchronization can be automatic or manual, depending on how you configure the service connection point for your hierarchy:
In online mode, the service connection point automatically connects to the Microsoft cloud service and downloads applicable updates.
By default, Configuration Manager checks for new updates every 24 hours. Manually check for updates in the Configuration Manager console. Go to the Administration workspace, select the Updates and Servicing node, and choose Check for Updates in the ribbon.
In offline mode, the service connection point doesn't connect to the Microsoft cloud service. To download and then import available updates, use the Service Connection Tool.
Note
If necessary, import out-of-band fixes into your console. To do so, use the update registration tool. These out-of-band fixes supplement the updates you get when you synchronize with the Microsoft cloud service.
After updates synchronize, view them in the Configuration Manager console. Go to the Administration workspace and select the Updates and Servicing node.
Updates you haven't installed display as Available.
Updates you've installed display as Installed. Only the most recently installed update is shown. To view previously installed updates, select History in the ribbon.
Before you configure the service connection point, understand and plan for its use. The following uses might affect how you configure this site system role:
- The site uses the service connection point to upload usage information about your site. This information helps the Microsoft cloud service identify the updates that are available for the current version of your infrastructure. For more information, see Diagnostics and usage data.
To better understand what happens when updates are downloaded, see the following flowcharts:
Permissions
To view updates in the console, a user must have a role-based administration security role that includes the security class Update packages. This class grants access to view and manage updates in the Configuration Manager console.
About the Update packages class
By default, the Update packages class (SMS_CM_Updatepackages) is part of the following built-in security roles with the listed permissions:
Full Administrator with Modify and Read permissions:
A user with this security role and access to the All security scope can view and install updates. The user can also enable features during the installation, and enable individual features after the site updates.
A user with this security role and access to the Default security scope can view and install updates. The user can also enable features during the installation, and view features after the site updates. But this user can't enable the features after the site updates.
Read-only Analyst with Read permissions:
- A user with this security role and access to the Default scope can view updates but not install them. This user can also view features after the site updates, but can't enable them.
Permissions required for updates and servicing
Use an account to which you assign a security role that includes the Update packages class with both Modify and Read permissions.
Assign the account to the Default scope.
Permissions to only view updates
Use an account to which you assign a security role that includes the Update packages class with only the Read permission.
Assign the account to the Default scope.
Permissions required to enable features after the site updates
Use an account to which you assign a security role that includes the Update packages class with both Modify and Read permissions.
Assign the account to the All scope.
Before you install an in-console update
Review the following steps before you install an update from within the Configuration Manager console.
Step 1: Review the update checklist
Review the applicable update checklist for actions to take before you start the update:
Step 2: Run the prerequisite checker before installing an update
Before you install an update, run the prerequisite checks for that update. If you run the checks before installing an update:
The site replicates update files to other sites before installing the update.
When you choose to install the update, the prerequisite check automatically runs again.
Note
When you start a prerequisite check and then view the status, the Installation phase appears to be active. However, the site isn't actually installing the update. To run the prerequisite check, the update process extracts the package from the content library. It then puts the package into a staging folder where it can access the current prerequisite checks. When you install an update, this same process runs. This behavior is why the Installation phase shows as In progress. Only the Extract Update package step is shown in the Installation category.
Later, when you install the update, you can configure the update to ignore prerequisite check warnings.
Process to run the prerequisite checker before installing an update
In the Configuration Manager console, go to the Administration workspace, and select the Updates and Servicing node.
Select the update package for which you want to run the prerequisite check.
Select Run prerequisite check in the ribbon.
When you run the prerequisite check, content for the update replicates to child sites. View the distmgr.log on the site server to confirm that content replicates successfully.
To view the results of the prerequisite check:
In the Configuration Manager console, go to the Monitoring workspace.
Select the Updates and Servicing Status node and look for the prerequisite status.
For more information, see the ConfigMgrPrereq.log on the site server.
Next steps
Now that you've prepared the environment, you're ready to install the updates.
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