Install Windows Updates Workflow

Install Windows Updates is a predefined workflow that downloads and installs Microsoft updates on client computers that run Windows operating systems (including the CommServe client). The workflow can also download and install Microsoft SQL Server updates.

Download this workflow from the Commvault Store. For instructions, see Download Workflows from Commvault Store.

How Does It Work?

This predefined workflow automates the following operations:

1. Retrieves Windows clients from the client group that you selected.

2. Performs the connectivity check operation for each client in the client group.

   Note

   • An agent must be installed on a client computer in order for Commvault to communicate with it.

   • If a client is offline, the workflow sets the client as unreachable. Updates are not installed on the client.

3. Runs the Windows Updates script on the clients that passed the connectivity check.

   During this task, the workflow performs the following operations for each client:

   1. Verifies whether the Windows software has one of the following activation statuses: licensed, notification, or extended grace period. If the Windows software does not have one of the listed activation statuses, updates are not installed on the client.

   2. Based on the type of update selected for download, the workflow searches for Windows updates and/or Microsoft SQL Server updates.

   3. Downloads and installs the updates.

   4. Restarts the client when the following conditions are met:

      • The user selected the restart option from the workflow options.

      • The client is not the CommServe computer.

      • The Windows Updates script notifies the workflow that the client requires a restart.

4. Sends an email report to the recipients specified in the workflow options indicating whether the operation on each client succeeded or failed.

Procedure

1. From the CommCell Browser, go to Workflows.

2. Right-click Install Windows Updates and then click All Tasks > Execute.

   The Install Windows Updates Options dialog box appears.

3. From the Run workflow on list, select the workflow engine.

4. From the Client Computer Group list, select the client group that contains the clients that you want to update.

5. In the Recipients box, enter the email address of the users that you want to notify. If multiple email IDs are specified, make sure that the emails are separated with a semicolon (;).

6. In the Parallel Execution Count box, enter the number of clients that you want to run in parallel. By default, the workflow installs the updates on one client at the time.

7. In the Timeout (in Hours) box, enter the maximum number of hours for the update operation. By default, the workflow runs the update operation for a maximum of five hours.

8. For Update Option, determine whether you want to install Microsoft Windows updates, SQL Server updates, or both.

   For example, if you only want to download and install Microsoft Windows updates, click Install Windows Updates.

9. If you want to restart the clients after the installation of updates, select the Reboot Clients check box.

10. Click OK.

    You can track the progress of the workflow job from the Job Controller.

Once the workflow job finishes, an email is sent with the operation results to the email address that you specified in the workflow.