The Software Updates Client Agent in Configuration Manager 2007 is enabled by default and client agent components are installed on client computers with the other Configuration Manager client components. The Software Updates Client Agent handles compliance assessment scan requests, software update evaluation requests, deployment policies for the client, and content download requests. The Software Updates Client Agent properties contain several sitewide client agent settings.

Note
Before software updates can be deployed, other components and settings need to be configured. See the Administrator Checklists for Software Updates for a detailed list.

Software Updates Client Agent Settings

The Software Updates Client Agent settings are configured in the Software Updates Client Agent Properties dialog box, which is accessed from the Client Agents Configuration Manager console tree node. The following client agent settings can be configured:

General Settings

The Enable Software Updates on Clients setting specifies whether to enable the Software Updates Client Agent and the Scan Schedule specifies how often the client agent initiates compliance assessment scans on client computers. Disabling the Software Updates Client Agent puts the client agent components on client computers into a dormant state, but does not remove the components. Reenabling the Software Updates Client Agent will initiate a policy to request that the components on clients be enabled. The Software Updates Client Agent is configured on a site-by-site basis. Disabling the client agent on a site affects only the client computers assigned to that site and prevents compliance assessment scanning and deployments from being received on client computers.

Update Installation Settings

The Enforce all mandatory deployments setting specifies whether to enforce all mandatory software update deployments that have deadlines within a specified period of time. When a deadline is reached for a mandatory software update deployment, installation is initiated on clients for the updates defined in the deployment. This setting determines whether to also initiate the installation for software updates defined in other mandatory deployments that have a configured deadline within the specified period of time. The Hide all deployments from end users setting provides the ability to hide deployments when they are received and installed on client computers.

Deployment Reevaluation Setting

The Deployment Reevaluation setting specifies how often the Software Updates Client Agent reevaluates software updates for installation status. When software updates that have been previously installed are no longer found on client computers, and still required, they are reinstalled.

See Also