Distinguishing High Priority from Optional Updates

Is there an API call in either the WUA 3.0 API or the WSUS 3.0 API that can
be used to identify an update as "Optional" as opposed to "High Priority"? I
have searched both APIs and could not find one.

If I go to Windows Update or Microsoft Update via IE using the Custom scan
option, updates are grouped as "High Priority" and "Optional". That is what
I am trying to achieve via an API call.

"Paqrat" <> wrote in message
news:113818D1-9CBA-44B0-B669-...
> Is there an API call in either the WUA 3.0 API or the WSUS 3.0 API that
> can
> be used to identify an update as "Optional" as opposed to "High Priority"?
> I
> have searched both APIs and could not find one.
>
> If I go to Windows Update or Microsoft Update via IE using the Custom scan
> option, updates are grouped as "High Priority" and "Optional". That is
> what
> I am trying to achieve via an API call.

The distinction at WU/MU between "High Priority" and "Optional" is that
"High Priority" includes all Critical and all Security updates.

Everything else goes to "Optional".

So, if you're looking to identify the equivalent of "High Priority" in the
API, you'll want to select "Security" AND "Critical".

--
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCTS, MCP
Independent WSUS Evangelist
MVP-Software Distribution (2005-2007)
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...2-D095EB07B36E

Everything you need for WSUS is at
http://technet2.microsoft.com/window...s/default.mspx

And, almost everything else is at
http://wsusinfo.onsitechsolutions.com
.....

Great! Thanks!

Now a twist to your answer: Microsoft Update shows IE7 as a a "High
Priority" update but the scan using WUA 3.0 API reports the
UpdateClassification as "Update Rollups". Does that mean Rollups should be
added to the list of Critical and Security updates designated as "High
Priority"? Or does MS have custom filter someplace to flag IE7 as "High
Priority" ;-)

Joe

"Lawrence Garvin (MVP)" wrote:

> "Paqrat" <> wrote in message
> news:113818D1-9CBA-44B0-B669-...
> > Is there an API call in either the WUA 3.0 API or the WSUS 3.0 API that
> > can
> > be used to identify an update as "Optional" as opposed to "High Priority"?
> > I
> > have searched both APIs and could not find one.
> >
> > If I go to Windows Update or Microsoft Update via IE using the Custom scan
> > option, updates are grouped as "High Priority" and "Optional". That is
> > what
> > I am trying to achieve via an API call.
>
> The distinction at WU/MU between "High Priority" and "Optional" is that
> "High Priority" includes all Critical and all Security updates.
>
> Everything else goes to "Optional".
>
> So, if you're looking to identify the equivalent of "High Priority" in the
> API, you'll want to select "Security" AND "Critical".
>
> --
> Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCTS, MCP
> Independent WSUS Evangelist
> MVP-Software Distribution (2005-2007)
> https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...2-D095EB07B36E
>
> Everything you need for WSUS is at
> http://technet2.microsoft.com/window...s/default.mspx
>
> And, almost everything else is at
> http://wsusinfo.onsitechsolutions.com
> .....
>
>
>
>

Lawrence Garvin (MVP) wrote:
<snip>
> The distinction at WU/MU between "High Priority" and "Optional" is that
> "High Priority" includes all Critical and all Security updates.
>
> Everything else goes to "Optional".
>
> So, if you're looking to identify the equivalent of "High Priority" in the
> API, you'll want to select "Security" AND "Critical".

IE7 is neither a Critical nor Optional Update; it's a High-Priority Update.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org

Actually, IE7 is classified as an "Update Rollup". The list of
UpdateClassifications in WSUS/WUA is:
Critical Updates
Definition Updates
Drivers
Feature Packs
Security Updates
Service Packs
Tools
Update Rollups
Updates
Applications (WSUS only)

"High Priority" is not an update classification nor is "Optional". My
question was how to determine if an update is either "High Priority" or
Optional" like MS does on the Windows Update site since I could not find an
API call for such a property. Lawerance provided the answer, but IE7 seems
to be an exception to that answer, so I was curious if "Update Rollups"
should be added to Lawerance's answer.

"PA Bear" wrote:

> Lawrence Garvin (MVP) wrote:
> <snip>
> > The distinction at WU/MU between "High Priority" and "Optional" is that
> > "High Priority" includes all Critical and all Security updates.
> >
> > Everything else goes to "Optional".
> >
> > So, if you're looking to identify the equivalent of "High Priority" in the
> > API, you'll want to select "Security" AND "Critical".
>
> IE7 is neither a Critical nor Optional Update; it's a High-Priority Update.
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
> AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org
>
>

"Paqrat" <> wrote in message
news:7E71B451-E2D4-45E7-B265-...
> Great! Thanks!
>
> Now a twist to your answer: Microsoft Update shows IE7 as a a "High
> Priority" update but the scan using WUA 3.0 API reports the
> UpdateClassification as "Update Rollups". Does that mean Rollups should
> be
> added to the list of Critical and Security updates designated as "High
> Priority"? Or does MS have custom filter someplace to flag IE7 as "High
> Priority" ;-)

*That* is a really good question... and I don't have an answer for it.

I suspect, because it's "IE7" (and IE7 was intentionally put in "Update
Rollups" to avoid auto-approve rule issues in WSUS), it's an exception, not
an indicator.

I'll see what I can find out.


--
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCTS, MCP
Independent WSUS Evangelist
MVP-Software Distribution (2005-2007)
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...2-D095EB07B36E

Everything you need for WSUS is at
http://technet2.microsoft.com/window...s/default.mspx

And, almost everything else is at
http://wsusinfo.onsitechsolutions.com
.....

"PA Bear" <> wrote in message
news:%...

>> The distinction at WU/MU between "High Priority" and "Optional" is that
>> "High Priority" includes all Critical and all Security updates.
>>
>> Everything else goes to "Optional".
>>
>> So, if you're looking to identify the equivalent of "High Priority" in
>> the
>> API, you'll want to select "Security" AND "Critical".
>
> IE7 is neither a Critical nor Optional Update; it's a High-Priority
> Update.

"High Priority" is a *consumer* classification that only appears as a
=presentation= issue on WU/MU.

The term does not exist in the MU catalog.

--
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCTS, MCP
Independent WSUS Evangelist
MVP-Software Distribution (2005-2007)
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pr...2-D095EB07B36E

Everything you need for WSUS is at
http://technet2.microsoft.com/window...s/default.mspx

And, almost everything else is at
http://wsusinfo.onsitechsolutions.com
.....