WSUS Server 2016 Requirements

Deploying WSUS in Windows Server 2016 has specific hardware, database, and software requirements. This guide explains these requirements.

Overview

Windows Server Update Service (WSUS) is a free role in Windows Server 2016. It is used to download and install Operating System updates to computers in a local network.

With WSUS, Windows admins can create computer groups to ease patch management. WSUS can also generate compliance reports. These reports are used to determine computers that require specific updates.

WSUS Server 2016 Hardware Requirements

System requirements for installing WSUS Server 2016:

1. Processor Requirements: Required – 1.4 gigahertz (GHz) x64 processor. Recommended – 2Ghz or faster
2. Memory Requirements : WSUS server requires an additional 1.5GB of RAM – above and beyond what is required by Windows Server 2016.
3. Available disk space Requirements: 10 GB (recommended: 40GB or more)
4. Network adapter Requirements: 100 megabits per second (Mbps) or higher

WSUS Server 2016 Database Requirements

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) requires a Database. At least one of these databases is required to install and configure WSUS:

1. Windows Internal Database (WID)
2. Microsoft SQL Server 2017
3. MS SQL Server 2016
4. Microsoft SQL Server 2014
5. MS SQL Server 2012
6. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2

WSUS supports Standard, Enterprise and Express versions of SQL Server.

WSUS Server 2016 Software Requirements

1. Clear any pending restart requirement before you enable the Windows Server Update Service server role.
2. Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 must be installed on the server.
3. The installation account must be a member of the Local Administrators group
4. The NT Authority\Network Service account must have Full Control permissions for the following folders:

• %windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files
• %windir%\Temp

Additional Requirements for WSUS Server 2016

1. You can install WSUS server role and the database server on separate computers.
2. However, the Database server cannot be a Domain Controller.
3. Also, the WSUS server cannot run Remote Desktop Services
4. The database server and the WSUS server must be in the same AD Domain. If in different domains, the domains must have a trust relationship.
5. Finally, the two servers must be in the same time zone or be synchronized to the same GMT time source.

Conclusion

If your hardware, software and database meet these requirements you should be able to install and configure Windows Server Update Service.

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Lastly, for more Windows Server guides visit our Windows Server How-To page. If you require more information to plan WSUS deployment, read Plan your WSUS deployment.