Plan for WSUS Update Languages

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Applies To: Windows Server Update Services, Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1

When you deploy a WSUS server hierarchy, you should determine which language updates are required throughout the organization. You should configure the root WSUS server to download updates in all languages that are used throughout the entire organization.

For example, the main office might require English and French language updates, but one branch office requires English, French, and German language updates, and another branch office requires English and Spanish language updates. In this situation, you would configure the root WSUS server to download updates in English, French, German, and Spanish. You would then configure the first branch office WSUS server to download updates in English, French, and German only, and configure the second branch office to download updates in English and Spanish only.

The Choose Languages page of the WSUS Configuration Wizard allows you to get updates from all languages or from a subset of languages. Selecting a subset of languages saves disk space, but it is important to choose all the languages that are needed by all the downstream servers and client computers of a WSUS server.

Important


  • Always include English in addition to any other languages that are required throughout your organization. All updates are based on English language packs.
  • Downstream servers and client computers will not receive all the updates they need if you have not selected all the necessary languages for the upstream server. Make sure you select all the languages that will be needed by all the client computers of all the downstream servers.
  • You should generally download updates in all languages on the root WSUS server that synchronizes to Microsoft Update. This selection guarantees that all downstream servers and client computers will receive updates in the languages that they require.

If you are storing updates locally, and you have set up a WSUS server to download updates in a limited number of languages, you may notice that there are updates in languages other than the ones you specified. Many update files are bundles of several different languages, which include at least one of the languages specified on the server.

Upstream servers

Important

Configure upstream servers to synchronize updates in all languages that are required by downstream replica servers. You will not be notified of needed updates in the unsynchronized languages.

Updates will appear as Not Applicable on client computers that require the language. To avoid this, make sure all operating system languages are included in your WSUS server's synchronization options. You can see all the operating system languages by going to the Computers view of the WSUS Administration Console and sorting the computers by operating system language. However, you may want to include more languages if there are Microsoft applications in more than one language (for example, if the French version of Microsoft Word is installed on some computers that use the English version of Windows Server 2008 R2).

Choosing languages for an upstream server is not the same as choosing languages for a downstream server. The following procedures explain the differences.

To choose update languages for a server synchronizing from Microsoft Update

  • In the WSUS Configuration Wizard, to get updates in all languages, click Download updates in all languages, including new languages.

  • To get updates only for specific languages, click Download updates only in these languages, and then select the languages for which you want updates.

A downstream server should download only those languages that are used by the downstream servers and client computers that it supports. If you are configuring a downstream server (a server synchronizing from an upstream server), use the following procedure.

To choose update languages for a downstream server

  • If the upstream server has been configured to download update files in a subset of languages: In the WSUS Configuration Wizard, click Download updates only in these languages (only languages marked with an asterisk are supported by the upstream server), and then select the languages for which you want updates.

Note

You should do this even though you want the downstream server to download the same languages as the upstream server.

  • If the upstream server has been configured to download update files in all languages: In the WSUS Configuration Wizard, clickDownload updates in all languages supported by the upstream server.

Note

You should do this even though you want the downstream server to download the same languages as the upstream server. This setting causes the upstream server to download updates in all languages, including languages that were not originally configured for the upstream server. If you add languages to the upstream server, you should copy the new updates to its replica servers. Changing language options on the upstream server alone might cause a mismatch between the number of updates that are approved on the central server and the number of updates approved on the replica servers.