Monitoring and Analysing System Events

Table of Contents

1. Monitoring and Analysing System Events
2. Event Viewer
3. System Monitor
4. Real-Time Monitoring
5. Logged Monitoring
6. Managing Software Updates and Site Licensing
   1. Configuring Software Update Services
   2. Installing and Configuring SUS Client Software
   3. Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
   4. Managing Site Licensing
   5. Licensing Modes
7. Managing Servers Remotely
8. Monitoring File and Print Servers
9. Monitoring Application Performance
10. Managing a Web Server

Managing Software Updates and Site Licensing

Managing software updates can be a major headache for network administrators. In a small installation it might only take a few hours to visit each machine and install an update, but in a larger installation it could take days or even weeks. Obviously, some method of managing the process centrally is required.

Microsoft's solution is Software Update Services (SUS), which consists of two components: the server and the client. The server (Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003) downloads updates from Microsoft and stores them locally. When new updates are posted to the Windows Update site, they are downloaded and the administrator is notified that they are available. Clients can then obtain the updates from the local server instead of downloading them from the Windows Update site.

SUS must be installed on an NTFS partition and the system partition must also be formatted with NTFS. If the computer does not meet these requirements, the SUS setup program will not permit you to install the software. Once you have ascertained that your computer meets all the requirements, you are ready to begin installation of SUS. The software can be downloaded free of charge from the Microsoft Web site.

1. Double click Sus10sp1.exe. This launches the setup program for Software Update Services Service Pack 1. Click Next.

2. Accept the licensing agreement and click Next.

3. Select the type of installation. Performing a typical installation installs SUS with the default settings. Click Next.

4. The next window displays the URL that clients will use to connect to the SUS server. Click Install.

5. Click Finish. The SUS administration Web site opens, from which you can configure your SUS server.

The activities given on this page and the following pages can contribute towards your log book for this unit. You are expected to demonstrate that you can use the Software Update Service to manage software updates and manage site licensing.

Next: Configuring Software Update Services