How important are Windows Updates to a small company?

How important are Windows Updates to a small company?

I'm the in-house IT department for a small company. For the past
several years, one of my jobs has been to perform Windows updates on
all of the desktops & the server.

While I agree it is time consuming & a pain that Microsoft expects me
to use my time for this, which once in a great while it back-fires and
causes problems, it seems everyone in IT I know stresses how important
it is to install Windows "Critical" updates.

This week my boss told me to either not spend my time installing
Windows Updates, or make them a low priority.

I'd like to know how I should respond back to him about this? It's
mostly a lack of his understanding. Is there a web site that
explains how critical installing these are to a small business?

I install these updates manually instead of automatically so I can
find out, from this newgroup or elsewhere, which ones might be likely
to cause problems. Most people I know in IT do install these
manually for that reason. I wouldn't want to have 30 or more
computers crash or have a major glitch all at the same time.

I appreciate any comments on the subject.

Well your not the only one in your position regarding your boss not
understanding, explain that critical updates are updates that are essential
to our systems to prevent any major problems occuring, you spending time
putting them on could be a small price for your boss to pay rather than him
paying out big time to fix machines because he has neglected the importance
of updating machines and for example he has lost data.

The position you are in I would highly recommend WSUS from Microsoft, it
allows you to push install updates to your clients from your server this
would save you alot of time because you only have work from your server and
you would not have to walk around your workplace visiting every machine,
check out the link below.

Link :
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv.../overview.mspx

Hope that helps ?

Andy W

"Nate Goulet" wrote:

> How important are Windows Updates to a small company?
>
> I'm the in-house IT department for a small company. For the past
> several years, one of my jobs has been to perform Windows updates on
> all of the desktops & the server.
>
> While I agree it is time consuming & a pain that Microsoft expects me
> to use my time for this, which once in a great while it back-fires and
> causes problems, it seems everyone in IT I know stresses how important
> it is to install Windows "Critical" updates.
>
> This week my boss told me to either not spend my time installing
> Windows Updates, or make them a low priority.
>
> I'd like to know how I should respond back to him about this? It's
> mostly a lack of his understanding. Is there a web site that
> explains how critical installing these are to a small business?
>
> I install these updates manually instead of automatically so I can
> find out, from this newgroup or elsewhere, which ones might be likely
> to cause problems. Most people I know in IT do install these
> manually for that reason. I wouldn't want to have 30 or more
> computers crash or have a major glitch all at the same time.
>
> I appreciate any comments on the subject.
>
>
>
>
>

How important is security to a small company? To your company? To your
boss?

Protect Your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/

(I'd be looking for a new job IIWY.)
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org


Nate Goulet wrote:
> How important are Windows Updates to a small company?
>
> I'm the in-house IT department for a small company. For the past
> several years, one of my jobs has been to perform Windows updates on
> all of the desktops & the server.
>
> While I agree it is time consuming & a pain that Microsoft expects me
> to use my time for this, which once in a great while it back-fires and
> causes problems, it seems everyone in IT I know stresses how important
> it is to install Windows "Critical" updates.
>
> This week my boss told me to either not spend my time installing
> Windows Updates, or make them a low priority.
>
> I'd like to know how I should respond back to him about this? It's
> mostly a lack of his understanding. Is there a web site that
> explains how critical installing these are to a small business?
>
> I install these updates manually instead of automatically so I can
> find out, from this newgroup or elsewhere, which ones might be likely
> to cause problems. Most people I know in IT do install these
> manually for that reason. I wouldn't want to have 30 or more
> computers crash or have a major glitch all at the same time.
>
> I appreciate any comments on the subject.

Nate;
How important?
A major security vulnerability attaching a major corporation will hurt and
cost a lot of $, but soon, things will be repaired and back to normal.
For a small business, such an event is more likely to be catastrophic
leading to loss of business and eventually closing down.
Computer security can be more important to a small company.

How much do you and your boss like the company and the employment now
available?

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"Nate Goulet" <> wrote in message
news:...
> How important are Windows Updates to a small company?
>
> I'm the in-house IT department for a small company. For the past
> several years, one of my jobs has been to perform Windows updates on
> all of the desktops & the server.
>
> While I agree it is time consuming & a pain that Microsoft expects me
> to use my time for this, which once in a great while it back-fires and
> causes problems, it seems everyone in IT I know stresses how important
> it is to install Windows "Critical" updates.
>
> This week my boss told me to either not spend my time installing
> Windows Updates, or make them a low priority.
>
> I'd like to know how I should respond back to him about this? It's
> mostly a lack of his understanding. Is there a web site that
> explains how critical installing these are to a small business?
>
> I install these updates manually instead of automatically so I can
> find out, from this newgroup or elsewhere, which ones might be likely
> to cause problems. Most people I know in IT do install these
> manually for that reason. I wouldn't want to have 30 or more
> computers crash or have a major glitch all at the same time.
>
> I appreciate any comments on the subject.

If you don't apply the updates...this question will answer itself. Remember
Sasser? Remember Korgo?


--
------------------------------------------
Donny Broome
http://www.broomeman.com/tech/
------------------------------------------


"Nate Goulet" <> wrote in message
news:...
> How important are Windows Updates to a small company?
>
> I'm the in-house IT department for a small company. For the past
> several years, one of my jobs has been to perform Windows updates on
> all of the desktops & the server.
>
> While I agree it is time consuming & a pain that Microsoft expects me
> to use my time for this, which once in a great while it back-fires and
> causes problems, it seems everyone in IT I know stresses how important
> it is to install Windows "Critical" updates.
>
> This week my boss told me to either not spend my time installing
> Windows Updates, or make them a low priority.
>
> I'd like to know how I should respond back to him about this? It's
> mostly a lack of his understanding. Is there a web site that
> explains how critical installing these are to a small business?
>
> I install these updates manually instead of automatically so I can
> find out, from this newgroup or elsewhere, which ones might be likely
> to cause problems. Most people I know in IT do install these
> manually for that reason. I wouldn't want to have 30 or more
> computers crash or have a major glitch all at the same time.
>
> I appreciate any comments on the subject.
>
>
>
>