The Automatic Import & Publishing Tool (SCUPSync.exe) is a command-line tool that can be used to perform import and publish operations very similar to the functions in the Updates Publisher console. There are requirements to consider before using the tool, a settings file must be configured before using the tool to synchronize catalogs, and there are many configure and synchronize command-line options available for the tool.

Note
The information in this topic applies only to System Center Updates Publisher 4.5.

Requirements for the Automatic Import & Publishing Tool

The Automatic Import & Publishing Tool has the following requirements before it can be run on a computer:

  • Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Administration Console. You can download the WSUS 3.0 SP1 Administration Console from the Windows Server Update Services Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83535).

  • Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0. You can download Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 from the .NET Framework 2.0 Downloads Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=132647).

  • The publisher for an imported catalog must be a member of the trusted publishers list or the catalog import will fail. For more information about adding a publisher to the trusted publishers list, see How to Add Publishers to the Trusted Publishers List.

  • When publishing software updates with dependencies, all dependencies for the software update must either be in the Updates Publisher database or already be published to the update server. Software updates that have dependencies that do not meet these requirements fail to publish to the update server.

Settings File for the Automatic Import & Publishing Tool

Before running the Automatic Import & Publishing Tool to synchronize software updates catalogs, a settings file must be configured with information about the Updates Publisher database, update server, and proxy server. The settings file (scupsyncsettings.xml) is located in the \Program Files\System Center Updates Publisher\SCUPSync folder by default. The following table lists and describes the settings stored in the scupsyncsettings.xml file.

Setting Description

SCUPDBConnection

Specifies the SQL Server instance, database name, security type used, and connection timeout for the Updates Publisher database.

UpdateServer

Specifies the name of the update server.

UpdateServerPort

Specifies the port for the update server.

UpdateServerSSL

Specifies whether Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is used when communicating with the update server.

IsUpdateServerLocal

Specifies whether the update server is running on the local server.

EnableRevocationChecking

Specifies whether to check the certificate revocation list (CRL) for the digital certificates that are used to sign software updates catalogs. The CRL is checked to verify that the certificate used to sign a software updates catalog has not been revoked from the approved list issued by the Certification Authority (CA). The tool will not publish software updates that use a revoked certificate.

ProxyServer

Specifies the proxy server name that will be used when the /setproxy command-line option is specified.

ProxyPort

Specifies the proxy server port that will be used when the /setproxy command-line option is specified.

The following example scupsyncsettings.xml settings file provides sample data for each setting:

<SCUPSyncSettings>

  <SCUPDBConnection> SERVER=COMPUTER\INSTANCE;DATABASE = mscuptdb; Integrated security=sspi;Connection Timeout=15</SCUPDBConnection>

  <UpdateServer>MyUpdateServer</UpdateServer>

  <UpdateServerPort>80</UpdateServerPort>

  <UpdateServerSSL>false</UpdateServerSSL>

  <IsUpdateServerLocal>false</IsUpdateServerLocal>

  <EnableRevocationChecking>false</EnableRevocationChecking>

  <ProxyServer>MyProxyServer</ProxyServer>

  <ProxyPort>80</ProxyPort>

</SCUPSyncSettings>

Command-Line Options for the Automatic Import & Publishing Tool

The Automatic Import & Publishing Tool is a command-line tool that provides command-line options that are used for configuration and other options that are specified when running the tool to initiate the synchronization process.

Configuration Command-Line Options

The configuration command-line options are specified to test the connection to the proxy server, Updates Publisher database, and update server; to set the credentials used when connecting to each; and to remove previously saved credentials. The configuration command-line options are not used in conjunction with any other option. The following table lists and describes the command-line options used for configuration.

Command-Line Option Description

/?

Displays the command-line help for the tool.

/test

Specifies to test that the tool is configured correctly and that the proxy server credentials, Updates Publisher database credentials, and update server credentials authenticate successfully. When there are no saved credentials, the tool will use the credentials for the current user.

/setproxy

Specifies the proxy settings that will be used when importing and publishing catalogs. When the tool runs, the user will be prompted for a username and password that will be used for proxy authentication. After the proxy settings have been specified by using this option, they are saved and used by default when the tool runs synchronization. When the /setproxy option is not used and the proxy settings have not been saved, the tool will use the credentials of the current user when connecting to the proxy server during synchronization.

/setscup

Specifies the settings that will be used when connecting to the Updates Publisher database during the publish process. When the tool runs, the user will be prompted for a username and password that will be used for authentication to the database. After the database settings have been specified by using this option, they are saved and used by default when the tool runs synchronization. When the /setscup option is not used and the database settings have not been saved, the tool will use the credentials of the current user when connecting to the database during synchronization.

/setupdateserver

Specifies the settings that will be used when connecting to the update server during the publish process. When the tool runs, the user will be prompted for a username and password that will be used for authentication to the update server. After the update server settings have been specified by using this option, they are saved and used by default when the tool runs synchronization. When the /setscup option is not used and the update server settings have not been saved, the tool will use the credentials of the current user when connecting to the update server during synchronization.

/clean

Specifies that all credentials that have been previously saved by using the /setproxy, /setscup, and setupdateserver options are cleared. For example, type SCUPSync.exe /clean to remove the saved credentials.

Synchronization Command-Line Options

The synchronization command-line options specify the catalogs to import, whether to publish only software updates metadata, whether to re-sign the software updates with the Web server certificate, the log file written to by the tool, and whether the tool displays progress in the Command Prompt window. The following table lists and describes the command-line options used when running the tool to initiate synchronization.

Command-Line Option Description

/catalog:all

Synchronizes all catalogs that have been added to the import list, which display on the Import List tab of the Settings dialog box.

/catalog:[Path]

Synchronizes a single catalog from a specified URL or UNC path. For example, type SCUPSync.exe /catalog:http://mycatalogweb/mycatalog.cab to synchronize a catalog that will be imported from the URL http://mycatalogweb/mycatalog.cab.

Note
When the UNC path for a catalog contains a space, it must be enclosed in quotes. For example, SCUPSync.exe /catalog:”\\My Catalog Share/My Catalog.cab”.

/metaonly

Synchronizes only the metadata from a specified catalog or all catalogs. This command-line option is used in conjunction with the /catalog:[Path] or /catalog:all option. For example, type SCUPSync.exe /catalog:\\MyCatalogFolder\MyCatalog.cab /metaonly to synchronize only the metadata from a catalog that will be imported from \\MyCatalogFolder\MyCatalog.cab.

/overwrite

Specifies to overwrite software updates that are already in the Updates Publisher database. When this option is not specified, software updates that are already in the Updates Publisher database will not be imported from the specified catalogs.

/resign

Specifies to re-sign the software updates with the Web server certificate during the synchronization process. For example, type SCUPSync.exe /catalog:http://mycatalogweb/mycatalog.cab /resign to re-sign the software updates in a catalog that will be imported from URL http://mycatalogweb/mycatalog.cab.

/log:[Path]

Specifies that the tool will write to a log file at the specified path. For example, type SCUPSync.exe /catalog:all /log:c:\MyFolder\MyLog.log to synchronize all catalogs in the import list and write to the MyLog.log file in the c:\MyFolder folder. When this option is not specified, the tool will use %TEMP%\SCUPSync.log.

/silent

Specifies that the tool will not display progress in the Command Prompt window used to run the command-line. When this option is not used, the tool will display progress to the Command Prompt window.

Using the Automatic Import & Publishing Tool

The Automatic Import & Publishing Tool is a command-line tool that can be configured and run on any computer that has access to the specified software updates catalogs, the Updates Publisher database, and the update server. The tool is located in the \Program Files\System Center Updates Publisher\SCUPSync folder on the Updates Publisher computer by default. To run the tool on another computer, copy the SCUPSync folder and all files contained in the folder to the computer.

Guidelines for Using the Tool
  1. Verify the requirements are met for running the tool.

  2. Configure the settings file (scupsyncsettings.xml) with information about the Updates Publisher database, update server, and proxy server.

  3. Test the connection to the Updates Publisher database, update server, and proxy server by using the /test command-line option.

  4. Specify security credentials that will be saved and used when connecting to the proxy server, Updates Publisher database, and update server by using the /setproxy, /setscup, and /setupdateserver command-line options, respectively. This step is required only when the credentials for the current user fail on one or more connections. Repeat step 3 to verify the connections using the new security credentials.

  5. Run the tool with the desired command-line options.

  6. Review the log file for a complete list of actions taken by the tool. The log file is located at %TEMP%\SCUPSync.log unless a different location is specified by using the /log:[Path] option.