The document provides an overview of WSUS (Windows Server Update Services) reporting options, including various report types, filtering capabilities, and layouts for updates and computers. It details synchronization reporting and custom reporting requirements, including using SQL Server Management Studio and building reports with Report Builder 2.0. Additional resources and contact information for inquiries are also included.

1. Author
Lawrence Garvin, WSUS MVP
WSUS Reporting Made Easier
April 2012

2. WSUS Reporting Made Easier
 Updates Report
 Computers Reports
 Synchronization Report
 Custom Reporting

3. WSUS Report Categories: Updates, Computers
 WSUS report types
» Summary, Detailed, Tabular
 WSUS report filtering options
 Review report layout
 Functionality & examples of “Approved Updates
Report”
 Hyperlinks available in the report layouts

4. Documentation
WSUS Operations Guide
© 2012 Microsoft. Available at:
http://technet.microsoft.com/enus/library/dd939846(WS.10).aspx.

5. Report Types

6. Report Filters
 Update Classifications
 Product Categories
 Computer Target Groups
 Update Status
 Include/Exclude Replica Server Clients
 Approved Updates

7. Report Filters

8. Report Filters

9. Report Filters

10. Report Filters

11. Report Filters

12. Report Filters

13. Report Filters

14. Report Layout
Status Summary

15. Report Layout
Status Summary – Navigation Pane (Updates Report)

16. Report Layout
Status Summary – Navigation Pane (Computers Report)

17. Report Layout
Status Summary – Update Metadata

18. Report Layout
Status Summary – Approval Summary (For selected
groups)

19. Report Layout
Status Summary – Summary Status (For selected updates)

20. Report Layout
Status Summary – Computer Information

21. Report Layout
Status Summary – Summary Status (For selected
computers)

22. Report Layout
Detailed Status
 Two page report
» Page 1: Summary Status page
• Same page as Summary Status report
» Page 2: Detailed Status report
• For Updates Report: a detailed listing by computer name for each
update
• For Computers Report: a detailed listing by update for each
computer

23. Report Layout
Detailed Status - Updates Report (Approval and Status)
- View 1 -

24. Report Layout
Detailed Status - Updates Report (Approval and Status)
- View 2 -

25. Report Layout
Detailed Status – Computers Report (Approval and Status)

26. Report Layout
Tabular Status
 Provides counts for:
» Needed
» Installed/Not Applicable
» Failed
» Not Status
» Updates presented are based on the filtering criteria selected in
Report Options
 All four columns of counts are always presented

27. Report Layout
Tabular Status – Updates Report
- View 1 -

28. Report Layout
Tabular Status – Updates Report
- View 2 -

29. Report Layout
Tabular Status – Computers Report

30. Report Layout
Approved Updates – Updates Report (Group: All Computers)

31. Report Layout
Approved Updates – Updates Report (Group: Desktop)

32. Report Layout
Approved Updates – Computers Report (Group: All Computers)

33. Report Layout
Approved Updates – Computers Report (Group: Desktop)

34. Report Layout
Approved Updates – Change to Summary Report

35. Report Layout
Approved Updates – Change to Detailed Report

36. Report Layout
Approved Updates – Computer Report (Group: Desktop, for all
updates)

37. Report Layout
Detailed Status – Hyperlinks (Updates)

38. Report Layout
Detailed Status – Hyperlinks (Computers)

39. Report Layout
Detailed Status – Hyperlinks (Approval State)

40. Report Layout
Detailed Status – Hyperlinks (Installation Status)

41. Report Layout
Running Update Detailed Status Report from Updates List

42. Report Layout
Running Computer Detailed Status Report from Computer List

43. Synchronization & Custom Reporting
 Synchronization Reports
 Custom Reporting
» Components required to use custom reporting
» Connecting SQL Server® Management Studio to the WSUS
database
» A tour through the views available for reporting

44. Synchronization Report
 Selected for specified date or date range
 Report provides:
» Number of New, Revised, and Expired Updates
» Listing of New, Revised, and Expired Updates
» Hyperlinks from Updates to Update Status Report
 Approvals can be created from hyperlinks in the Update
Status Report

45. Synchronization Report
Report Options

46. Synchronization Report
Synchronization Summary

47. Synchronization Report
New/Revised/Expired Updates
Synchronization
Report

48. Documentation- Custom Reporting
WSUS Operations Guide
© 2012 Microsoft. Available at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd939891(WS.10).aspx.

49. Documentation – Custom Reporting
WSUS Operations Guide
© 2012 Microsoft. Available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb410149(VS.85).aspx.

50. Requirements
To do custom reporting
 Have query capability to WSUS database
» SQL Server Management Studio
 Understand how to use PUBLIC_VIEWS
» Basic knowledge of T-SQL and SQL Server
 Install and use Report Builder 2.0
» Visual Studio 2008 also has these tools
 Deploy SQL Server Reporting Services
» SSRS is available in SQL Express Advanced Services

51. Connectivity
To the WSUS Database
 SQL Server (Workgroup/Standard/Enterprise)
» SQL Server Management Studio
 Windows® Internal Database
» SQLCMD.exe or SQL Server Management Studio Express
» Named Pipes
• .pipeMSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEEsqlquery
» Local ONLY
 SQL Server Express Edition?? (EMail me!)

52. Tools
SQL Server Management Studio Express
Synchronization
Report

53. Access
To the WSUS Public Views
 All public views are located in the PUBLIC_VIEWS
namespace
 Local Administrators have access by default
 Read-only to the PublicViewAccess database role
 Additional users must be added to database role

54. Familiarity
With the WSUS Public Views
PUBLIC_VIEWS.vCategory PUBLIC_VIEWS.vSupportedInventory
PUBLIC_VIEWS.vCategoryText PUBLIC_VIEWS.vUpdate
PUBLIC_VIEWS.vClassification PUBLIC_VIEWS.vUpdateAdditionalInfoUrl
PUBLIC_VIEWS.vClassificationText PUBLIC_VIEWS.vUpdateApproval
PUBLIC_VIEWS.vComputerGroupMembership PUBLIC_VIEWS.vUpdateEffectiveApprovalPerComputer
PUBLIC_VIEWS.vComputerInventory PUBLIC_VIEWS.vUpdateInCategory
PUBLIC_VIEWS.vComputerTarget PUBLIC_VIEWS.vUpdateInstallationInfo
PUBLIC_VIEWS.vComputerTargetGroup PUBLIC_VIEWS.vUpdateInstallationInfoBasic
PUBLIC_VIEWS.vDownstreamServer PUBLIC_VIEWS.vUpdateText
PUBLIC_VIEWS.vLanguage PUBLIC_VIEWS.fnUpdateInstallationStateMap

55. Documentation - Views
WSUS Operations Guide
© 2012 Microsoft. Available at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb410149(VS.85).aspx.

56. Code Example
Update summaries for unassigned computers
The following query gets update summaries for all Security Updates
across all the computers in the Unassigned Computers group.
DECLARE @unassignedGroup uniqueidentifier
'B73CA6ED-5727-47F3-84DE-015E03F6A88A'
SELECT u.UpdateId, u.DefaultTitle, usc.State, COUNT(*)
FROM PUBLIC_VIEWS.vUpdate AS u
JOIN PUBLIC_VIEWS.vUpdateInstallationInfo AS usc
ON u.UpdateId = usc.UpdateId
WHERE usc.ComputerTargetId IN (
SELECT ComputerTargetId FROM PUBLIC_VIEWS.vComputerGroupMembership
WHERE ComputerTargetGroupID = @unassignedGroup
)
GROUP BY u.UpdateID, u.DefaultTitle, usc.State

57. Code Example
Update Summaries for unassigned computers (Results)

58. Building Custom Reports
for Publishing
 Report Builder 2.0
» System Requirements
• Desktop:
» Windows XP® SP3
» Windows Vista® SP1
» Windows 7
• Server:
» Windows Server® 2003 SP2
» Windows Server 2008
• .NET Framework v3.5

59. Building Custom Reports
for Publishing

60. Building Custom Reports
for Publishing
 Report Builder 2.0
» Product Information / Training / Download
• http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2008/en/us/report-b

61. Summary
 Update Reports
 Computer Reports
 Synchronization Report
 Custom Reporting

62. Helpful Resources
Learn how to extend WSUS to report on 3rd
party application patch compliance with
SolarWinds Patch Manager
Watch Video Test Drive Live Demo
Ask Our Community Download 30-day Free Trial
Click any of the links above
- Slide 62 -

63. Author: Lawrence Garvin, WSUS MVP
Thank You!
Feedback or Questions
Lawrence.Garvin@solarwinds.com