Can you give me an introduction to UpdateEXPERT usage?

The following is a brief introduction to using UpdateEXPERT.

The Major Components

A typical UpdateEXPERT install puts a Master-Agent, a Console (GUI), and an Agent-Intaller component on the machine. Large scale networks often use multiple Master-Agents and multiple Consoles.

When the UpdateEXPERT Premium Console is launched, it attempts to connect to one or more Master-Agents simultaneously. The Console relays user commands, such as "Query" to the Master-Agent(s).  The Console and Master-Agent control specific resources on the UpdateEXPERT server or Console machine.

The Master-Agent interacts with agentless target machines using Microsoft networking protocols and services (RPC), or interacts privately with deployed Leaf-Agents on target machines, over a specific port (9968 by default). Leaf-Agents provide specific features that cannot be attained using RPC calls, such as security and Wake-on-Lan support.

The Master-Agent does many things, but a primary activity is to inventory the patches for managed machines, and store the inventory in an MSDE/SQL database. The inventory supports accurate patch deployment out to these same machines. When using more than one Master-Agent, you need to know how to connect to a different Master-Agent.

To install additional Master-Agents, or install Leaf-Agents, you run the Agent-Installer.

Updating the Database, and Initial Use

Just after product installation, you need to 1) download the latest UpdateEXPERT database before proceeding.

A successful download sometimes requires 2) entering internet proxy settings.

With the most recent database, you would 3) "enumerate" (expand) your network, right-click on a test machine, 4) "manage" it, and then set 5) default/alternate credentials for the machine so you have access rights to it.

You would then 6) "query" it to get a current inventory of installed (green balloon) vs. available (grey balloon) patches. Successfully querying Agentless (non Leaf-Agent) machines requires certain network services.

These steps are outlined in "HELP | Contents" (user guide) and post-installation tasks. Trouble querying can be due to a variety of factors; usually credentials, network services, or remote registry access related.

Initial Patch Deployment

As soon as you've queried a test machine, you will be able to select one or more patches for installation with ctrl-click & shift-click.

Right-click to start the "Install Wizard". These screens allow selection of patch install options and group multiple patches according to their characteristics. Smart Reboot Elimination tries to eliminate unnecessary reboots for you, by examining patch attributes from the database.

Patch deployment can be thought of as a 2-phase process, and the deployment status window records the status of each patch as it installs.

Sometimes, specific error codes or messages are shown in deployment status. See troubleshooting quick reference to look up specific deployment status messages, or contact support if the message does not appear to be listed.