Similar to an offering for Windows XP, a new tool will better allow administrators time to plan upgrades.
Distribution of the blocking tool comes in advance of Microsoft’s planned Automatic Update release of the first service pack for Server 2003 on July 26th.
When Microsoft released Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, many enterprises were not ready to upgrade. Users on their networks who did upgrade experienced application problems, drawing the anger of IT professionals toward Redmond.
The blocking tool will allow administrators to continue to receive patches and other updates for Server 2003 without being forced to install the service pack first.
According to Computer Weekly, the new blocking tool allows the use of automatic update services without bringing in the service pack. The tool makes a change to a registry key, which keeps a machine from bringing aboard the update.
Microsoft has urged customers to use the tool instead of disabling Automatic Update. Critical and security updates will continue to be delivered via automatic updates, and disabling the service will prevent those important fixes from being delivered.
Administrators using Windows Group Policy will be able to use an ADM template included with the tool to import the settings for blocking into the Group Policy environment.
The blocking mechanism will be timed to expire on March 30, 2006. That would still be in advance of a Longhorn release rumored to be taking place toward the end of that year.
Paul Thurrott described the service pack as a desirable update.
“Windows 2003 SP1 will bring a host of security and bug fixes. It will also provide an unexpected performance bump, new features, and a wide range of security enhancements,” Mr. Thurrott wrote.
“Windows 2003 SP1 also adds the DEP memory-protection technology, as well as changes to low-level technologies such as Distributed COM (DCOM) and user-level applications such as Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE).”
David Utter is a staff writer for murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
