How to automatically update a Windows VM on Azure

Question

I have a windows vm in azure that i very rarely use. (Once a month, sometimes even less.). The machines is turned off between usage sessions.

Every time i do try to use it, i must install quite a lot of updates first, which is a bit annoying. Can i do something, so it starts once a week (every sunday?), checks for and installs all available updates and goes back to sleep afterwards?

WM_THX
-thomas woelfer

Answer 1

My approach to this problem is to employ precisely the solution you have suggested about automatically turning the VM on.

Firstly, I tend to use the daily Auto Shutdown as a fall back in case i forget to turn the VM off when I am using it. (Say at 7pm).

Secondly, I configure scheduled updates on the VM which occur at 5pm on a Sunday (actually i tended to choose Friday, but pick whatever day works best for you. I just prefer to pick a day when the VM would usually be on, to avoid starting it purely for patching).

Lastly, I leverage automation to start the VM up - just in case I hadn't been using the VM that day.