The Virtual Machine Servicing Tool uses "servicing jobs" to manage update operations. A servicing job packages a set of scripts and Windows PowerShell™ cmdlets into a task managed by Windows Task Scheduler. The current version of the Virtual Machine Servicing Tool provides four types of servicing job, sometimes referred to as an update job because their function is to provide operating system updates to virtual machines, virtual machines on a VMM library server, virtual machines on a host, virtual machine templates, and virtual hard disks (VHDs).

The tool works with Task Scheduler to determine when to run the servicing job. For example, for each virtual machine the servicing job uses the following process:

1. The servicing job instructs Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) to move virtual machines to maintenance hosts and start them.
2. The servicing job triggers the appropriate software update cycle (Configuration Manager or WSUS).
3. When the virtual machine has no more pending updates, the servicing job instructs VMM to shut down the updated virtual machine and return it to the library.

See the following figure for an overview of how the servicing job interacts with other system components.

Overview of a servicing job and its interactions with VMM and other system components

See Also

Deleting Servicing Jobs

Reviewing the Status of Servicing Jobs

Modifying Servicing Job Time-out Values

Reference