Software updates in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 must be synchronized before the update information is available in the Configuration Manager console. Synchronization is initiated at the highest level site in the hierarchy that has an active software update point and is initiated on a configured schedule or by manually initiating the Run Synchronization action.

Note
Scheduled synchronizations perform full synchronization, but using the Run Synchronization action performs only delta synchronization.

When synchronization with Microsoft Update is complete at the highest site in the hierarchy, synchronization requests are sent to child sites and they initiate synchronization with their configured upstream WSUS servers as soon as the request is processed.

Note
Configuration Manager will synchronize all of the update metadata on the WSUS server. If the WSUS server was previously configured with a set of update classifications, products, or languages different from what the software update point is configured for, updates outside of the configured settings might be synchronized.

The software updates metadata that is synchronized from Microsoft Update is retrieved based on the update classifications, products, and languages configured for the active software update point highest in the hierarchy, most likely the central site. Child sites synchronize with the parent site to get the software updates metadata.

Use the following procedures to configure the properties that determine which software updates are synchronized and to initiate or schedule synchronization on the site server.

To configure the update properties for synchronization on the software update point

  1. In the Configuration Manager console for the highest site with software updates enabled, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Site Management / <site code> - <site name> / Site Settings / Component Configuration.

  2. Right-click Software Update Point, and then click Properties.

  3. Click the Software Update Point Component Properties: Products Tab to configure the products for which software updates are synchronized.

  4. Click the Software Update Point Component Properties: Classifications Tab to configure the classifications for which software updates are synchronized.

  5. Click the Software Update Point Component Properties: Languages Tab to configure the languages for which software updates are synchronized.

To manually initiate software update synchronization

  1. In the Configuration Manager console for the highest site with software updates enabled, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Software Updates / Update Repository.

  2. Right-click Update Repository, and then click Run Synchronization. Software updates synchronization is initiated as soon as possible. When synchronization is complete, a request is sent to child sites to initiate synchronization.

To configure the software update synchronization schedule

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Site Management / <site code> - <site name> / Component Configuration.

  2. Right-click Software Update Point, and then click Properties.

  3. Click the Synchronization Schedule tab, click Enable synchronization on a schedule, and configure the schedule.

  4. Click OK to save the synchronization schedule. Unless the Start value is modified in custom schedule, synchronization is initiated as soon as possible and then again based on the configured recurrence pattern. When synchronization is complete, a request is sent to child sites to initiate synchronization.

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