I have always walked into a mess as well. It seems like it takes about 2-4 months to get this kind of stuff down.

I am trying to prepare for a new IT Employee. I want to minimize his learning curve of our network the best I can. Here are some of the things I have done:

1. Prepared a brand new Windows 8.1 PC. I ran all the Windows updates on it.

2. I installed Vsphere Plugins, Office, Keepass, IP Scanner, Server Manager, and Some of our Software management solutions, and etc.

3. I created a folder on his desktop called Helpful IT admin links which contains:
   A) Grouping of Servers by function and by name. Within that list, I created each shortcut to the Server using .VNC files which give him the ability to VNC to each server right from the list
   B) Links to all the web management portals.
   C) Network Documentation. A logical map of all PCs and Servers for each branch. As well as the names and IPs
   D) I have a KeePass DB with all shared device, VNC, local admin passwords, etc.

Is there anything else I can do to help him quickly acclimate to our network?

@Dashrender said:

In the GPO for the servers, are you telling them to install the updates and wait for a reboot? or are you telling the servers to notify and allow the local user to decide when to install?

I'm guessing the former.

I am choosing "4 - Auto download and schedule the install" which downloads them and schedules the install in the early AM. Sometimes it reboots them automatically and sometimes it doesnt. I am not sure why that happens

@Bill-Kindle said:

Are you looking for something you can just run as a script? I would think that that PowerShell remoting and some short code could tell you if a reboot is needed and then allow you to powercycle at will.

Here is the whole story.

Over the last week or so, I have noticed that some Servers are behind on updates. I realized they were behind on updates because they needed reboots to continue updating. The first day I noticed this, I scheduled them to reboot via PDQ. The reboot happened fine, but the updates did not finish installing.

When I used VNC to remote into this PCs, i noticed that there was 4 different options "Shutdown, Update and Shutdown, Update and Restart, Restart" I had to manually click Update and Restart to finish the process. Since you can restart and shutdown computers silently. I figured there was a way to "Update and Restart" them silently. That is what I am looking to do.

I am looking for a shutdown.exe switch, but I dont think there is one

@Bill-Kindle said:

Am I the only one who saw these pictures and heard humming?

What? I'm freezing and I cant hear you

@Dashrender said:

@IRJ said:

I really dont mind doing it manually, but I dont know of a way to force the update part

The update itself is happening as long as WSUS reports it. The reboot is when it's applied.

Right. I want to be able to force the reboot to apply the update at will.

I really dont mind doing it manually, but I dont know of a way to force the update part

@alexntg said:

Another reason to go with Windows 8 - computers will aut0-reboot for updates after a few days.

Otherwise, you can set a deadline on the updates when you approve them, which will force reboot.

Yes sir. I have been rebooting my 2012 R2 Servers and I notice that they schedule to restart in 2 days

@RAM. said:

I'm not relevant, but you're welcome anyway

Stop welcoming people, its almost like you forget that you are irrelevant.

My GPOs are working and they are receiving updates. Sometimes they automatically reboot and sometimes they dont. Which isnt a big deal, I dont mind doing it manually. I just want to find a way to force them to restart and install updates

Here is one of my 25 target groups

Delete them manually. You would not want them to delete automatically, because you may need to recover their data.

WSUS has been working great in our environment since I set it up a few months ago. One issue, I am having is the fact that Servers and PCs dont necessarily always automatically restart after installing updates. This is no big deal since I schedule restarts of PCs nightly and I can schedule to reboot Server(s) if I know they need to be rebooted. The problem is that when I schedule a restart it reboots the PC just fine, but it does not finish it updates. When rebooting a PC or Server from the GUI, it gives you the option to update and shutdown or just restart.

@Dashrender said:

@Bill-Kindle said:

Just trying to study enough to start my MCSE track. 70-410.

Is there no specific R2 test?

When I took the test last month, All the questions said R2 in them.

@Bill-Kindle said:

Just trying to study enough to start my MCSE track. 70-410.

I might be able to help. Can you email me at [email protected]?

Why did these changes happen? Did they grow too fast?

@alexntg said:

I'm not sure how many computers you have out there, but have you considered SCCM? It'll deploy your base image and do all the rest for you. You can go from bare metal to ready-to roll in a couple of clicks.

I have considered that and FOG. Our probably is we have a bunch of small local branch locations connected by a T1 line. If I were to image over the network, it would kill the branch completely.

@Dominica said:

Crocodilians are remarkably adapted to their life at the top of the food chain. Both gators and crocs can tolerate brackish waters, as well as fresh. They also like swimming pools, which is why inground pools in Florida are always screened in. I bet they enjoy the buoyancy of salt water as a nice change from muddy, swampy water. That guy looks like he's on vacation.

That is true. I have seen them in saltwater before, but amazingly only in one area of the state. That is near Kennedy Space Center. I lived about 20 miles south of the Space Center for most of my life and I have not seen a single gator in saltwater down there or in any other part of the state. When I fish in restricted areas of the space center (one of the perks of my position), they are all over the place. I doubt the US government will fess up, but I am guessing that the they may have been a deterrent for the Soviet Spies during the Cold War.