Microsoft has released a public preview of Unified Update Platform on-premises, a new integration with Windows Server Update Services and Microsoft Configuration Manager that simplifies Windows content management and upgrading to Windows 11.
According to Microsoft, the feature streamlines the process of upgrading to Windows 11 for organizations that manage Windows devices with Windows Server Update Services and Configuration Manager. In a blog post, the company calls Unified Update Platform (UUP) “the next iteration of our system for delivering Windows OS quality and feature updates.”
The company says UUP offers improved delivery technologies and responds to requests from IT administrators for more seamless updates, better control over installation time, longer battery life and smaller download size.
“After five productive years, UUP gets even better with seamless integration with Configuration Manager and WSUS,” Microsoft said in a blog post. “UUP on-premises addresses the growing demand for Windows 11 security and productivity standards from leading enterprises.”
From early 2023, all new releases of Windows will be provided with UUP updates, the company says. With UUP, administrators don’t have to create custom images or complicated task sequences to maintain installed optional features or language packs, the company says. New capabilities include simplified content management through maintenance, upgrade to the latest security compliance level with one reboot, installed optional features on demand and retention of language packs during upgrades, and the ability to deploy known task sequences for other custom actions needed in IT -surroundings.
Organizations that have already moved to the Software Updates model for feature updates will automatically receive UUP updates, but administrators should remove the feature update steps they are taking today to work around previous gaps.
According to Microsoft, quality updates with the UUP remain cumulative and include all released quality and security fixes for Windows. New capabilities include the ability for end users to acquire FODs and LPs in WSUS or Configuration Manager environments, automatic corruption recovery, and minimized client-quality update download sizes.
Read the company’s blog for more information, including how to sign up for the public preview.