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WSUS Configuration Manager configures the WSUS server

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Original product version:   Configuration Manager

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) Configuration Manager connects to the WSUS server once every hour and configures the WSUS server with the settings that are defined for the software update point in the Configuration Manager console.

How it works

WSUS Configuration Manager uses the WSUS APIs to connect to the WSUS server. The WSUS Administration console must be installed on the Configuration Manager site server, because the WSUS Administration console installs the APIs that are used to connect to the WSUS server.

The following are logged in WCM.log:

Checking for supported version of WSUS (min WSUS 3.0 SP2 + KB2720211 + KB2734608) SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Checking runtime v2.0.50727... SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Did not find supported version of assembly Microsoft.UpdateServices.Administration. SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Checking runtime v4.0.30319... SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Found supported assembly Microsoft.UpdateServices.Administration version 4.0.0.0, file version 6.2.9200.16384 SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Found supported assembly Microsoft.UpdateServices.BaseApi version 4.0.0.0, file version 6.2.9200.16384 SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Supported WSUS version found SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER

If the products or classifications defined for the software update point are modified, SMS Provider makes changes in the appropriate CI_* tables in the database. For example, when a product is selected for synchronization, SMS Provider updates rows in the CI_CategoryInstances and CI_UpdateCategorySubscription tables.

SMS Database Monitor monitors these tables for changes. When an update is detected, SMS Database Monitor drops a CSB file in the WSUSMgr.box folder notifying WCM to update the WSUS server configuration. The following are logged in SMSDBMon.log:

RCV: UPDATE on CI_CategoryInstances for CategoryNotify_iud [177][14252] SMS_DATABASE_NOTIFICATION_MONITOR
RCV: UPDATE on CI_UpdateCategorySubscription for SubNotify_iu_WCM [177][14253] SMS_DATABASE_NOTIFICATION_MONITOR
SND: Dropped E:\ConfigMgr\inboxes\objmgr.box\177.CTN [14252] SMS_DATABASE_NOTIFICATION_MONITOR
SND: Dropped E:\ConfigMgr\inboxes\WSUSMgr.box\177.CSB [14253] SMS_DATABASE_NOTIFICATION_MONITOR

WCM then wakes up and connects to the WSUS server to make sure that it is configured with the options defined in the Configuration Manager console. The following are logged in WCM.log:

File notification triggered WCM Inbox. SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Setting new configuration state to 4 (WSUS_CONFIG_SUBSCRIPTION_PENDING) SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Attempting connection to WSUS server: CE1SITE.CONTOSO.COM, port: 8530, useSSL: False SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Successfully connected to server: CE1SITE.CONTOSO.COM, port: 8530, useSSL: False SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Subscribed Update Categories <?xml version="1.0" ?>~~<Categories>~~ <Category Id="Product:a105a108-7c9b-4518-bbbe- 73f0fe30012b"><![CDATA[Windows Server 2012]]></Category>~~ <Category Id="Product:fdfe8200-9d98-44ba-a12a- 772282bf60ef"><![CDATA[Windows Server 2008 R2]]></Category>~~ <Category Id="UpdateClassification:0fa1201d-4330- 4fa8-8ae9-b877473b6441"><![CDATA[Security Updates]]></Category>~~ <Category Id="UpdateClassification:28bc880e-0592- 4cbf-8f95-c79b17911d5f"><![CDATA[Update Rollups]]></Category>~~ <Category Id="UpdateClassification:cd5ffd1e-e932- 4e3a-bf74-18bf0b1bbd83"><![CDATA[Updates]]></Category>~~ <Category Id="UpdateClassification:e6cf1350-c01b-414d- a61f-263d14d133b4"><![CDATA[Critical Updates]]></Category>~~</Categories> SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Configuration successful. Will wait for 1 minute for any subscription or proxy changes SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER
Setting new configuration state to 2 (WSUS_CONFIG_SUCCESS) SMS_WSUS_CONFIGURATION_MANAGER

Using WSUS APIs to connect to the WSUS server works by connecting to the ApiRemoting30 virtual directory on the WSUS website. Therefore, it's important that you specify the correct port configuration when you install the software update point role.