setup of a test environment for windows 2003 server

[inenewbl]

Hi all. I have setup a windows 2003 server for testing purpose for
installing of updates and patches by microsoft before releasing them to
my live servers. I would like to know what is the industry practise of
patching the servers. Do you all do it everytime the patches are
released or do it like once a month everytime? If i were to setup a
test server for testing updates for my dc, other than setting up the
test server as a dc, do i have to install every single 3rd party
program that can be found on my actual DC, like backup software, ups
software? Thks in advance.

 

[Brett I. Holcomb]

Re: setup of a test environment for windows 2003 server

MS releases their patches once a month so that gives you the time frame
to do it in. I usually wait a few days to see if there are any issues
with patches. If they work I do them manually (but I don't have a lot
of servers right now) and I hide the patches I never want to see again.

For real testing you are going to have to have some simulation of your
production environment with apps and some simulation of the load and
usage you have in the production environment. You can patch the test
server but if it doesn't run the apps you use in Production in the same
manner how do you know if the patches are good or bad. If you try and
duplicate everything you have in Production you'll have an impossible
job! For third party apps many vendors issue lists of patches that they
have tested and have said it's okay to install. I use that as a guide
to what patches I put in.


inenewbl wrote:
> Hi all. I have setup a windows 2003 server for testing purpose for
> installing of updates and patches by microsoft before releasing them to
> my live servers. I would like to know what is the industry practise of
> patching the servers. Do you all do it everytime the patches are
> released or do it like once a month everytime? If i were to setup a
> test server for testing updates for my dc, other than setting up the
> test server as a dc, do i have to install every single 3rd party
> program that can be found on my actual DC, like backup software, ups
> software? Thks in advance.
>

 

[craig]

RE: setup of a test environment for windows 2003 server

Depends on how rigorous you're planning on testing the updates & patches. I'm
fortunate in that I have an engineering group who test updates on base 2003
servers. As I support a complex app enviroment I have to apply patches to
test servers first and look for any obvious problems, then patch UAT systems
after which the I and the app guys ensure the applications haven't broken,
then patch the production gear. Pain in the backside but it has saved us on
several occassions.

For it to be any benefit, test systems shoud replicate production as close
as possible. I would bother with power/ups software, but any other app
(backup/antivirus, in house etc) should be installed.

"inenewbl" wrote:

> Hi all. I have setup a windows 2003 server for testing purpose for
> installing of updates and patches by microsoft before releasing them to
> my live servers. I would like to know what is the industry practise of
> patching the servers. Do you all do it everytime the patches are
> released or do it like once a month everytime? If i were to setup a
> test server for testing updates for my dc, other than setting up the
> test server as a dc, do i have to install every single 3rd party
> program that can be found on my actual DC, like backup software, ups
> software? Thks in advance.
>