Beginning the week of October 18, 2021, the Windows Updates system that is used by all Bowdoin Windows computers will be changed. This change will better allow systems that are not on campus, or infrequently come to campus, to better receive patches and updates from anywhere while connected to the Internet. This change will also enable better patch management of Microsoft Office and allow for computers to receive semi-annual upgrades as they are released.
Change Details
Windows workstations will continue to receive updates from Microsoft, however instead of a set, singular monthly patch cycle, Microsoft Windows will now patch more like it would for home-users. It will install patches made available by Microsoft starting on the second Friday of the month and install any patches available every Friday, beginning at 4:00 PM.
If a reboot is required and someone is logged in to the computer, a notification will appear letting them know that the computer will restart in 4 hours. A final notification will appear, and not go away, 60 minutes before a reboot.
An advantage to this change is that Windows users will not need to wait until Friday to receive their updates. They can, at any time, use the Windows Update option within the operating system to check for updates. up until now, this feature would not allow you to check for updates on your own.
For more information on the update process and schedule, please see the article under the "Related Articles" section.
Important Note: Because Windows Update may not have run on some computers in a long time, the first few weeks may have install times that extend longer than expected. In some cases, updates could take up to an hour or more.
Why The Change?
Due to the ability for some offices to work in a hybrid scenario, many Windows computers are not coming to campus to receive patches frequently enough. This lack of patches creates a major hole in our security posture for endpoint computers. This change will ensure that devices both on campus and off will receive and install patches as they should.