Patch Management Using SCCM2007

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Hi all, I'm in the process of setting up Patching using SCCM.

I have specified Maintenance windows and created the packages using Software Updates within SCCM. I have however discovered a couple of issues.

The main issue is that some of our servers require a shutdown sequence, i.e. taking down certain services and application in a controlled manner, via batch file currently. The patching routines need to be automated so I thought using a Task sequence for the following would work;

1.) Install Updates
2.) Run Commands
3.) Reboot (with condition that services etc are in a stopped state)

However the test servers appear to reboot after the updates have installed regardless meaning 2 reboots.

In the setup of the package it is set to supress reboots on servers but this doesn't appear to apply when initialising them from a task sequence.

What would be the best method?

How about

1.) Take down services / commands for shutting various apps
2.) Install updates

In theory that would work? Anyone see any issue there or suggest a better way of controlling it. This all needs to happen in a maintenance window i.e.

Hit maintenance windows at 05:00 am
Install updates
Reboot
End maintenance window at 06:00 am

I know the calculation of time required needs to fit in the window for it to work, so allocating 5 mins to apply a patch, 10 mins for a reboot.

Another question is with regards to calculating required time;

If there are 20 updates approved in a package and only one is appplicable, is sccm clever enough to calculate the time for the single update or does it just calculate for the whole lot?

The other option would be to setup the package to target the desired collection, so the updated would install at the start of the window, but then is there a way to trigger a task sequence once the updates complete, I don't seem to be able to think of a way of doing it maybe status message rules? As the Software Updates are not a 'real' package it seems pretty damn difficult.

One last item is to do with SCUP, will that inhance the Software Update functionality for us / make any of this easier? currently we are running SCCM2007R3 in Native mode with only MDT added functionality

Any help or advice would be appreciated, what are you folks doing and is there a better way to achieve what we need?

I do have some other questions so please let me know if you are willing to help me via email etc.
 
Many thanks for the replies, I have been advised we would be best to do the following;

Maintenance window of 4 hours (02:00-06:00)
A package with a deadline specified
A TS to only do the controlled shut down /reboot which is then called 20 mins before the window expires

Does that sound the best way to you? Also I'm not sure if I should set a deadline as apposed to ASAP in the package and also what I should set the deadline to? i.e. when do we want it to expire in order to make sure the updates install as soon as a window hits.

The reports would be really great, I've installed the 'Right Click' tools today which also make things a little bit simpler in the console

Many thank again,
 
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