Virtual Machine Servicing Tool Help  

Creating or Editing Servicing Jobs for Virtual Hard Disks

Use the following procedure to create this type of servicing job.

To create a servicing job for virtual hard disks

  1. In the Actions pane, under Update Virtual Hard Disks in Library, click New Servicing Job.
    Note   If you cannot view the Actions pane, on the main toolbar, click Actions to display it.
  2. On the New Virtual Hard Disks Servicing Job page of the New Servicing Job for Virtual Hard Disks Wizard, type a name for the servicing job, and then under Software update management system, select one of the following options, and then click Next:
    • Manually copy and install updates in the following folder share: <folder path>.
      Note   Select this option if you want to manually copy the updates to the following folder share location: %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool\Updates. If you choose this option, you must manually copy and install updates on the offline VHDs in this folder share.
    • Copy updates from Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

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    Note   In most cases, the remaining options on this page are set automatically by the configured server settings. When you first start the Virtual Machine Servicing Tool, you must complete the Configuration Wizard to establish connections between the tool and the other applications and services with which the tool works.
  3. On the Select Virtual Hard Disks page of the wizard, specify the virtual hard disks with which this servicing job will work. To see a list of virtual hard disks, choose one of the following options:
    • To select virtual hard disks from a virtual hard disk group, click Select virtual hard disks from a group, expand the VHD group name drop-down list, and then select a VHD group. Note that a servicing job can only work with a single VHD group.
    • To select VHDs directly from a Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) library, click Select virtual hard disks from a System Center Virtual Machine Manager library, and, if you have more than one library, expand the VMM library server drop-down list, and then select a library.
      Note   A servicing job can only work with a single VMM library server.

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  4. In the Available virtual hard disks list, select one or more virtual hard disks for this job, click the arrow button to move them into the Selected virtual hard disks list, and then click Next. To move all of the VHDs, click the double-arrow button.
    Important   A servicing job uses one set of credentials (domain, user name, and password) to access virtual hard disks. Make sure that all of the virtual hard disks that you assign to a servicing job can be accessed with the same credentials.
  5. On the Select Backup Option page of the wizard, if you want to make a backup of one or more of the VHDs that you are updating, select check boxes next to them on this page.

    Only one version of each backup VHD file will be maintained if you select this option, and the backup copy of each VHD file will be renamed as <original .vhd file name>.old.vhd.

    Important   Ensure that there is enough disk space in the library share before selecting this option.
  6. On the Select Maintenance Hosts page of the wizard, specify the maintenance hosts that the tool will work with. In the Available maintenance hosts list, select one or more maintenance hosts for this job, click the arrow button to move them into the Maintenance hosts to use for this servicing job list, and then click Next. To move all of the maintenance hosts, click the double-arrow button.
  7. On the Configure Account Information page of the wizard, type the domain name, user name, and password for the account that the servicing job will use to access the VHDs, and then click Next.
    Important   This account must have administrator permissions on the VHDs, the VMM server, the maintenance hosts for servicing offline VHDs, and the software update management server. In addition, this account must be a member of the Delegated Administrator user role in VMM. This role must also have access to the hyper-V hosts and the library servers intended to be used with this tool. This user account should also have read and write permission on the library shares where the Virtual hard disks to be serviced reside.
  8. On the Schedule the Servicing Job page of the wizard, select one of the following scheduling options:
    • To run the servicing job as soon as possible, click Run the servicing job now.
    • To schedule the servicing job, click Schedule the servicing job, and then select a date and time for the servicing job to run.
    • To make the scheduled servicing job repeat at a regular interval, select the Specify the job as recurring check box, expand the Frequency of recurrence drop-down list, and then click the interval you want to use. In the End date for the job box, click the scheduling icon, and then click the date for the servicing job to stop recurring.

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  9. Click Finish to complete the wizard.

To configure the WSUS server to update offline VHDs

If you choose to use WSUS to update offline VHDs, configure the WSUS server to download approved updates by using the following the steps:

  1. Start the WSUS console.
  2. In the console, navigate to Update Services, <server name>, and then Options.
  3. In the Options pane, click Update Files and Languages.
  4. In the Update Files and Languages dialog box, choose the Store update files locally on this computer option.
  5. Optionally select the Download files only when updates are approved check box to conserve disk space.

Use the following procedure to edit this type of servicing job.

Important   You can only edit scheduled servicing jobs. You cannot edit servicing jobs that are completed or in progress.

To edit a VHD servicing job

  1. In the Servicing Jobs pane, expand the Servicing Jobs tree node, and then click the Virtual Hard Disks Jobs node to display the current list of this type of servicing job in the results pane of the tool console.
  2. In the list of servicing jobs, select the job you want to edit, and then, in the Actions pane under Update Virtual Hard Disks in Library, click Edit Servicing Job.
  3. Change the servicing job settings on the wizard pages as needed.
  4. On the Configure Account Information page of the wizard, type the domain name, user name, and password for the account that the servicing job will use to access the host, and then click Next.
  5. Navigate to the last page of the wizard, and then click Finish.

Use the following procedure to copy an existing servicing job.

Important   You can only copy scheduled or completed servicing jobs. You cannot copy servicing jobs that are in progress.

To create a VHD servicing job by copying an existing VHD servicing job

  1. In the Servicing Jobs pane, expand the Servicing Jobs tree node, and then click the Virtual Hard Disks Jobs node to display the current list of this type of servicing job in the results pane of the tool console.
  2. In the list of servicing jobs, select the job you want to duplicate, and then, in the Actions pane, click Copy and Create Servicing Job.
  3. On the Configure Virtual Hard Disk Servicing Job page of the Copy and Create Servicing Job for Virtual Hard Disks Wizard, type a new name for the servicing job.
  4. The second, third, and fourth pages of the wizard contain the same settings as the servicing job that you copied.
  5. On the Configure Account Information page of the wizard, type the domain name, user name, and password for the account that the servicing job will use to access the VHDs, and then click Next.
  6. On the Schedule the Servicing Job page of the wizard, define the scheduling options for the copied servicing job, and then click Finish to complete the wizard.