In System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, you install cumulative updates to update Configuration Manager sites and clients.

Cumulative updates for Configuration Manager are similar to cumulative updates for other Microsoft products, such as SQL Server. Cumulative updates include one or more fixes for a specific version of Configuration Manager. Each new cumulative update is described in a Microsoft Knowledge Base article. Typically, cumulative updates release quarterly, but this schedule is subject to change, based on the volume and nature of the issues that are addressed.

When you install a cumulative update for Configuration Manager, the update installs an update bundle. Update bundles contain the update files for one or more components of Configuration Manager. You can install a cumulative update on the site server of a central administration site or primary site.

When you run a cumulative update for Configuration Manager on a site server, it installs and runs an update bundle. Update bundles can run on a central administration site server, a primary site server, a secondary site server, or a computer that runs an instance of the SMS Provider. However, if you plan to create deployments to install updates on additional computers, you must install the update bundle on a central administration site server or primary site server. An update bundle contains fixes for Configuration Manager. When the update bundle runs, it extracts the update files for each applicable component from the update bundle, and then starts a wizard that guides you through a process to configure the updates and deployment options for the updates. When you complete the wizard, the updates in the bundle that apply to the site server are installed on the site server. However, the wizard also creates deployments that you can use to install the updates on additional computers. You deploy the updates to additional computers by using a supported deployment method, such as a software deployment package or Microsoft System Center Updates Publisher 2011. When the wizard runs, it creates a .cab file on the site server for use with Updates Publisher 2011. Optionally, you can configure the wizard to also create one or more packages for software deployment. You can use these deployments to install updates on components, such as clients or the Configuration Manager console. You can also install updates manually on computers that do not run the Configuration Manager client.

The following three groups in Configuration Manager can be updated:

• System Center 2012 Configuration Manager server roles, which include:
  
  
  • Central administration site
    
    
  • Primary site
    
    
  • Secondary site
    
    
  • Remote SMS Provider
    
    

  Note

  Updates for site system roles, including updates for the site database, are installed as part of the update for site servers. With Configuration Manager SP1, updates for site system roles include updates that apply to cloud-based distribution points. However, updates that apply to a pull-distribution point, install as an update for the Configuration Manager client and not as an update for site system roles.

• System Center 2012 Configuration Manager console
  
  
• System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client
  
  

Each updates bundle for Configuration Manager is a self-extractable .exe file (SFX) that contains the files that are necessary to install the update on the applicable components of Configuration Manager. Typically, the SFX file can contain the following files.

By default, the update bundle logs its actions to a .log file on the site server. The log file has the same name as the update bundle and is written to the %SystemRoot%/Temp folder.

When you run the update bundle, it extracts a file with the same name as the update bundle to a temporary folder on the computer, and then runs Updatesetup.exe. Updatesetup.exe starts the Cumulative Update <number> for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager <Service pack> <KB Number> Wizard.

The wizard creates a series of folders under the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager installation folder on the site server. The folder structure resembles the following:

\\<Server Name>\SMS_<Site Code>\Hotfix\<KB Number>\<Update Type>\<Platform>.

The following table provides details about the folders in the folder structure.

To help you to deploy the updates to computers other than the site server where you run the update bundle, the wizard can create a software deployment package for each category of components that are included in the update (site server and computers that run the SMS Provider, Configuration Manager console, and clients). You can then deploy each package to computers that run the Configuration Manager client. Also, the wizard always creates a .cab file that you can import to Updates Publisher 2011 in case you choose to use Updates Publisher 2011. For information about how to use the package to deploy the updates, see the Use Software Deployment to Install Updates section in this topic. For information about how to use Updates Publisher 2011 to deploy the updates, see the Use Updates Publisher 2011 to Install Updates section in this topic.

To install updates, you must first install the update bundle on a site server. When you install an update bundle, it starts the Cumulative Update <Number> for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager <Service Pack> <KB Number> Wizard. This wizard does the following:

• Extracts the update files
  
  
• Helps you to configure deployments
  
  
• Installs applicable updates on the server components of the local computer
  
  

After you install the update bundle on a site server, you can then update additional components for Configuration Manager. The following table describes update actions for these various components.

Note
You can deploy updates only to computers that run the Configuration Manager client.

If you reinstall a client, Configuration Manager console, or SMS Provider, you must also reinstall the updates for these components.

Use the information in the following sections to install updates on the each of the components for Configuration Manager.

Update Servers

Updates for servers can include updates for sites, the site database, and computers that run an instance of the SMS Provider. Use the information in the following sections to help you update each type of server component.

Update a Site

To update a Configuration Manager site, you can install the update bundle directly on the site server, or you can deploy the updates to a site server after you install the update bundle on a different site.

When you install an update on a site server, the update installation process manages additional actions that are required to apply the update, such as updating site system roles. The exception to this is the site database. The following section contains information about how to update the site database.

Update a Site Database

To update the site database, the installation process runs a file named update.sql on the site database. You can configure the update process to automatically update the site database, or you can manually update the site database later.

Automatic Update of the Site Database

When you install the update bundle on a site server, you can choose to automatically update the site database when the server update is installed. This decision applies only to the site server where you install the update bundle and does not apply to deployments that are created to install the updates on remote site servers.

Note
When you choose to automatically update the site database, the process updates a database regardless whether the database is located on the site server or on a remote computer.

Important
Before you update the site database, create a backup of the site database. You cannot uninstall an update to the site database. For information about how to create a backup for Configuration Manager, see Backup and Recovery in Configuration Manager in the Site Administration for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager guide.

Manual Update of the Site Database

If you choose not to automatically update the site database when you install the update bundle on the site server, the server update does not modify the database on the site server where the update bundle runs. However, deployments that use the package that is created for software deployment or that Updates Publisher 2011 installs always update the site database.

Warning
When the update includes updates to both the site server and the site database, the update is not functional until the update is completed for both the site server and site database. Until the update applies to the site database, the site is in an unsupported state.

To manually update a site database, use SQL Server Management Studio to connect to the site's SQL Server, and then run the update script named update.sql on that site's database.

When the update bundle installs, it extracts update.sql to the following location on the site server:

\\<Server Name>\SMS_<Site Code>\Hotfix\<KB Number>\update.sql.

For information about how to run a script to update a SQL Server database, see the documentation for the version of SQL Server that you use for your site database server.

Update a Computer that Runs the SMS Provider

After you install an update bundle that includes updates for the SMS Provider, you must deploy the update to each computer that runs the SMS Provider. The only exception to this is the instance of the SMS Provider that was previously installed on the site server where you install the update bundle. The local instance of the SMS Provider on the site server is updated when you install the update bundle.

If you remove and then reinstall the SMS Provider on a computer, you must then reinstall the update for the SMS Provider on that computer.

Update Clients

After the initial installation of the client on a computer, you can update the client. You can deploy updates with Updates Publisher 2011 or a software deployment package, or you can choose to manually install the update on each client. For more information about how to use deployments to install updates, see the Deploy Updates for Configuration Manager section in this topic.

Important
When you install updates for clients and the update bundle includes updates for servers, be sure to also install the server updates on the primary site to which the clients are assigned.

To manually install the client update, on each Configuration Manager client, you must run Msiexec.exe and reference the platform-specific client update .msp file.

For example, you can use the following command line for a client update. This command line runs MSIEXEC on the client computer and references the .msp file that the update bundle extracted on the site server: msiexec.exe /p \\<ServerName>\SMS_<SiteCode>\Hotfix\<KB Number>\Client\<Platform>\<msp> /L*v <logfile>REINSTALLMODE=mous REINSTALL=ALL

Update Configuration Manager Consoles

To update a Configuration Manager console, you must install the update on the computer that runs the console after the console installation is finished.

Important
When you install updates for the Configuration Manager console, and the update bundle includes updates for servers, be sure to also install the server updates on the site that you use with the Configuration Manager console.

If the computer that you update runs the Configuration Manager client, you can use a deployment to install the update. Alternately, you can manually install the update on each computer. For more information about how to use deployments to install updates, see the Deploy Updates for Configuration Manager section in this topic.

To manually install the Configuration Manager console update, on each computer that runs the Configuration Manager console, you must run Msiexec.exe and reference the Configuration Manager console update .msp file.

For example, you can use the following command line to update a Configuration Manager console. This command line runs MSIEXEC on the computer and references the .msp file that the update bundle extracted on the site server: msiexec.exe /p \\<ServerName>\SMS_<SiteCode>\Hotfix\<KB Number>\AdminConsole\<Platform>\<msp> /L*v <logfile>REINSTALLMODE=mous REINSTALL=ALL

After you install the update bundle on a site server, you can deploy updates to additional computers.

Use the information in the following sections to configure deployments to distribute updates for Configuration Manager.

Use Updates Publisher 2011 to Install Updates

When you install the update bundle on a site server, the Cumulative Update <number> for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager <service pack> <KB Number> Wizard creates a catalog file for Updates Publisher 2011 that you can use to deploy the updates to applicable computers. The wizard always creates this catalog, even when you select the option Use package and program to deploy this update.

The catalog for Updates Publisher 2011 is named SCUPCatalog.cab and can be found in the following location on the computer where the update bundle runs: \\<ServerName>\SMS_<SiteCode>\Hotfix\<KB Number>\SCUP\SCUPCatalog.cab

Important
Because the SCUPCatalog.cab file is created by using paths that are specific to the site server where the update bundle is installed, it cannot be used on other site servers.

After the wizard is finished, you can import the catalog to Updates Publisher 2011, and then use Configuration Manager software updates to deploy the updates. For information about Updates Publisher 2011, see Updates Publisher 2011 in the TechNet library for System Center 2012. For information about software updates in Configuration Manager, see Software Updates in Configuration Manager in the Deploying Software and Operating Systems in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager guide.

Use the following procedure to import the SCUPCatalog.cab file to Updates Publisher 2011 and publish the updates.

To import the updates to Updates Publisher 2011

1. Start the Updates Publisher 2011 console and click Import.

2. On the Import Type page of the Import Software Updates Catalog Wizard, select Specify the path to the catalog to import, and then specify the SCUPCatalog.cab file.

3. Click Next, and then click Next again.

4. In the Security Warning - Catalog Validation dialog box, click Accept. Close the wizard after it is finished.

5. In the Updates Publisher 2011 console, select the update that you want to deploy, and then click Publish.

6. On the Publish Options page of the Publish Software Updates Wizard, select Full Content, and then click Next.

7. Complete the wizard to publish the updates.

After you import the updates to Updates Publisher 2011, you can use Configuration Manager software updates to deploy the custom updates to client computers.

Use Software Deployment to Install Updates

When you install the update bundle on the site server of a primary site or central administration site, you can configure the Cumulative Update <number> for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager <service pack> <KB Number> Wizard to create update packages for software deployment. You can then deploy each package to a collection of computers that you want to update.

To create a software deployment package, on the Configure Software Update Deployment page of the wizard, select the check box for each update package type that you want to update. The available types can include servers, Configuration Manager consoles, and clients. A separate package is created for each type of update that you select.

Note
The package for servers contains updates for the following components: Site server SMS Provider Site database

Next, on the Configure Software Update Deployment Method page of the wizard, select the option I will use software distribution. This selection directs the wizard to create the software deployment packages.

Note
The wizard always creates a .cab file for Updates Publisher 2011. However, if you select I will use System Center Updates Publisher, the wizard does not create software deployment packages.

After the wizard is finished, you can view the packages that it creates in the Configuration Manager console in the Packages node in the Software Library workspace. You can then use your standard process to deploy software packages to Configuration Manager clients. When a package runs on a client, it installs the updates to the applicable components of Configuration Manager on the client computer.

For information about how to deploy packages to Configuration Manager clients, see How to Deploy Packages and Programs in Configuration Manager in the Deploying Software and Operating Systems in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager guide.

Create Collections for Deploying Updates to Configuration Manager

You can deploy specific updates to applicable clients. The following information can help you to create device collections for the different components for Configuration Manager.

Component of Configuration Manager	Instructions
Central administration site server	Create a direct membership query and add the central administration site server computer.
All primary site servers	Create a direct membership query and add each primary site server computer.
All secondary site servers	Create a direct membership query and add each secondary site server computer.
All x86 clients	Create a collection with the following query criteria: Select * from SMS_R_System inner join SMS_G_System_SYSTEM on SMS_G_System_SYSTEM.ResourceID = SMS_R_System.ResourceId where SMS_G_System_SYSTEM.SystemType = "X86-based PC"
All x64 clients	Create a collection with the following query criteria: Select * from SMS_R_System inner join SMS_G_System_SYSTEM on SMS_G_System_SYSTEM.ResourceID = SMS_R_System.ResourceId where SMS_G_System_SYSTEM.SystemType = "X64-based PC"
All computers that run the Configuration Manager console	Create a direct membership query and add each computer.
Remote computers that run an instance of the SMS Provider	Create a direct membership query and add each computer.

Note
To update a site database, deploy the update to the site server for that site.

For information about how to create collections, see How to Create Collections in Configuration Manager in the Assets and Compliance in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager guide.

Concepts