Cluster aware updating via WSUS

Question

I can't seem to find this information anywhere,
I have setup a 2 node hyper-v 2012 baremetal cluster and configured it with cluster aware updating role (CAU)
the environment is not internet facing and the updates need to come through a local WSUS server, a capability
mentioned
in many articles, however no guidelines on how to actually do it
CAU is configured with the microsoft.windowsupdateplugin in self-updating mode
I'm not sure how to point the CAU role to the local WSUS host, obviously no updates are occuring since there is no internet access to the MS update servers and WSUS cannot simply be auto-discovered
has anyone done this or know how to make this work?  I can only assume I would have to pass on some sort of argument to the CAUpluginArguments field with the http/s link to the WSUS infrastructure but can't find the proper string
thanks in advance,
armin

Answer 1

For clarity, when setting up the special GPO to send the WSUS settings to the cluster, what is the best way to configure the "Configure Automatic Updates" policy?  Is it to '3 - Autodownload and notify for install' and then the CAU client on the hosts
will take it from there?
It must be AUOption='3'. It's the only way to ensure the binaries are available for installation when CAU kicks off the update, and still not involve the configuration of a
scheduled installation event.
The technet seems to suggest that both option 2 & 3 on that list would work,
I would be skeptical of AUOption='2'. How are the binaries going to get downloaded? If CAU tells the WUA to install updates, and the updates are not downloaded, ready for installation, nothing's going to get installed. (Unless somebody is claiming that CAU
will also launch a download. However, that would unnecessarily extend the amount of time needed to patch a given node of the cluster, so certainly an undesirable configuration at best. Much better to have all files downloaded
before launching the installation task.
I'd also point out that if you're implementing CAU, there's no reason NOT to let the binaries download automatically. AUOption='2' would be used when you want to control WHEN the binaries are downloaded by launching the download interactively.
Is it correct to apply the WSUS GPO to that whole OU, to all 4 machine names?
The GPO is just a methodology to configure a Windows Update Agent with the desired settings. Neither the GPO, nor the WUA, care whether it's on a cluster node or not. What's correct is to configure the machine the way you want it configured.
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCSA, MCITP:EA, MCDBA
SolarWinds Head Geek
Microsoft MVP - Software Packaging, Deployment & Servicing (2005-2014)
My MVP Profile: http://mvp.microsoft.com/en-us/mvp/Lawrence%20R%20Garvin-32101
http://www.solarwinds.com/gotmicrosoft
The views expressed on this post are mine and do not necessarily reflect the views of SolarWinds.