Windows Update Schedule

Windows updates are scheduled as follows:

  • Tier 1 and 2 lab systems and faculty desktops:
    • Usual Microsoft Patch week software updates
      • Microsoft’s schedule for releasing patches is usually the second Tuesday of every month. This constitutes “patch week” for the CAT.
      • Computer Lab systems
        • Typically reboot for patches at 2am in the early hours of Friday morning.
      • Office and other single user systems
        • Patches are released on Wednesday evening on “patch week”. Until Friday morning, notifications will appear on the desktop that allows the user to run the update at a time that is convenient for them. If no action has been taken, the system will typically reboot at 2am on Friday morning to install the updates.
      • Windows File and Other Servers
        • File and Application Servers
          • Usually reboot for patches at 6pm on Friday evening of “patch week”.
        • Terminal Servers
          • Usually reboot for patches at 5:30pm on Friday evening of “patch week”.
    • Out-of-band patches
      • These are typically emergency patches, often related to system stability issues or involving a serious security problem. They are installed as soon as possible, sometimes with very little lead time. Notifications are sent out as soon as possible.
  • Wired Tier 3 machines (ie: not CAT supported) that run software update and patches
    • It is your responsibility to keep tier 3 machines patched.  Also it is your responsibility to keep your anti-virus software up to date. Read more and download Anti-Virus software here. Going forward, we will be documenting a security plan based on conversations with the administrators of these systems.
  • Wired Tier 3 machines (ie: not CAT supported) that seldom run software updates or patches due to long running tests or other operations
    • In the interests of safety to the rest of the systems in MCECS and PSU, these machines may need to be configured for limited (or no) access to the Internet and potentially with limited access to other parts of the campus. The CAT will work out a security plan to set this up.

If a patch requires a reboot the machine will reboot after the patches are applied.

Non-Windows updates, often to third party software, are sometimes rolled into the Windows update schedule or, based on severity, installed as soon as possible.

Email notification of impending software updates are emailed to faculty/staff and students currently registered for classes. This website also contains notifications on the home page. We also have a twitter feed for alerts that you can follow.

If you don’t know what the support tiers are refer to the Support Tiers Overview.