Software Update Service house cleaning

What controls house cleaning for the Software Update Service? If I ask it to stop mirroring updates that have long since been applied, the files still hide in /usr/share/swupd/.
Deselecting the mirroring of an update doesn't help.
The normal house keeping tasks don't seem to clear it out.
I could just navigate to the directory and delete by hand, but that just doesn't seem The MacWay™...

This is probably because you had it set to copy everything automatically in the first place and then you switched that option off. We run into the same problem and, unfortunately, you just have to bear the huge download of the last 4 years worth of Apple updates... Once that has been downloaded SUS will obey new settings. You may need to manually enable the updates if you changed that setting since the download started.
Mind it, since you would have everything there anyway there would be less of an issue leaving on the automatic download option...

Similar Messages

Problems with Lion Software Update service

I just recently upgraded our Xserve to Lion server so we could start deploying Lion clients. The upgrade seemed to go fine, but the Software Update service may end up being a deal breaker. I can get Lion clients to connect to the server for updates, that is not a problem. The problem is when Lion client says it needs to download additional software to run a program, in our case a Java runtime environment. When it looks on the software update server it says "The software is currently unavailable, please try again later." If I point it back to Apple it works just fine. We need to have our clients recieving updates locally for bamdwisth reasons, but if they cant get the software that they need then it makes having a local SU server useless. Anyone know how to fix that? And on a side note the new Server app that is supplied with Lion doesn't list SU as a service, and I can't figure out how to add or remove the services. Am I missing something? Thanks.

To access many of the Server Tools in Lion Server you'll have to go to apple's website and download the Server Admin for 10.7 Server. This is the familar to 10.6.x server admin tool that apple does not include as the standard set of tools. Once you download it you'll have access to these additional services via the GUI:
DHCP
DNS
Firewall
Mail
NAT
NetBoot
Open Directory
Podcast Producer
RADIUS
Software Update Xgrid
LJS

Mavericks 10.9.1 update not appearing in Server's Software Update service?

While I have been able to update my server to 10.9.1, my client computers all rely upon my server for their software updates. And although i have repeatedly had the Software Update service fetch all new updates over the last day or so, the Mavericks 10.9.1 update still isn't showing up.
Does anyone else who is using the Software Update service actually have that update available to them, or is this a case of Apple simply not having made this update available to that service yet? And if so, does anyone have an idea of how much of a delay should I expect?

Hi again
Try running the following command in the terminal on your clients:
defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL
The desired return value should be*:
http://server.mydomain.com:8088/content/catalogs/others/index-10.9-mountainlion- lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog
*The base URL might be different depending on if you are using standard SU settings or if you have moved the files somewhere else.
If this is not your return value try running this on your clients again:
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL http://server.mydomain.com:8088/content/catalogs/others/index-10.9-mountainlion- lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog
You can reset the settings by running this command:
sudo defaults delete /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL

How to download older updates in Software Update Service?

Hello,
In our company, we have a mixture of Mac OS X 10.6.2, 10.6.3 and 10.6.4 servers. Due to proxy-restrictions, only one of these servers is able to download updates directly from Apple (this one has 10.6.4 installed). We have set up the Software Update Service on this server to distribute the updates to all other servers and at first sight, it seemed to work fine.
However, we noticed that our Software Update Server is only downloading the most recent versions of all software updates. e.g. Security Update 2010-05 and Security Update 2009-05 are available, but not Security Updates 2009-01 up to 2009-04. They don't even show up in the list of available updates. Since Security Update 2009-05 requires at least 10.6.4 (but Security Update 2010-04 can still be installed on 10.6.2) we're unable to install any recent security update on our 10.6.2-servers.
Is there a way to configure Software Update Service to download older Security Updates? Running a centralized update server offers little benefit to us if it doesn't allow to install security updates on older Mac OS X releases... Updating all servers to 10.6.4 is not an option, as the software running on the servers is not always supported on the very latest Mac OS X releases.
Thanks,
Filip

fvvjqe3 wrote:
Thanks for the suggestion. I just tried the following:
- stop Software Update Service
- remove /var/db/swupd/html and /etc/swupd to restore default settings
- start SUS again
- now both "Copy all updates from Apple" and "Delete outdated software updates" were unticked. That should be fine I suppose, as I don't want to download all the updates (e.g. we don't want printer drivers, Final Cut and so no), but only the ones we select. However, we still don't see e.g. Security Update 2010-04 in the list of available updates. Am I missing something here?
2010-05 includes all the previous security updates, I cannot find any reference to a 2010-004 update for Snow Leopard, only for Leopard (10.5). There was a 2010-003 for Snow Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6.4 Update would also have included previous security updates. It looks like there was never a 2010-004 for Snow Leopard.

IBooks Author and Software Update Service

iBooks Author is not included in the Software Update Service list of available downloads. Does anyone know how to add as an available update within OS X Server?
It doesn't seem like the update service has iBooks Author in it's update catalog.

Hi
You enter the server's hostname or fully qualified domain name as defined in whatever you're using for providing DNS Resolution for your network. If you want to know the Server's hostname launch Terminal on the Server itself and issue "hostname" without the quotes. If we use server.theschool.sch.uk as an example the url would look like this:
http://server.theschool.sch.uk:8088/index-leopard-snowleopard.merged-1.sucatalog
Does this help?
The servername.local refers to the Server's Bonjour name. Bonjour names don't resolve to IP addresses.
Tony

Connect unmanaged clients to Software Update Services 10.8.4

Software Update Services 10.8.4
I cannot get unmanaged clients to connect to my ML Software Update Service
I tried the following versions:
sudo defaults write com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL http://my.sus.local:8088/
sudo defaults write com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL http://my.sus.local:8088/index.sucatalog
sudo defaults write com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL http://my.sus.local:8088/catalogs.sucatalog
sudo defaults write com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL http://my.sus.local:8088/index-mountainlion-lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.su catalog
I tried the URL with and without double quotes (makes no difference in the output of 'sudo defaults read')
sudo defaults read com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL shows the value that was set, but the connection just times out.
The only way to successful connect is if I specify the CatalogURL in the softwareupdate command.
sudo softwareupdate -l --CatalogURL http://my.sus.local:8088
That allows me to list, download and install updates.
What am I missing?
TIA

what happens if you point the defaults command here ?
/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL
Using OS X Server's Software Update service with multiple Mac OS X client versions

What are the differences between the Caching and the Software Update Services

New to working with OS X Server and am confused about the differences between the Caching Service and the Software Update Service...it seems to me that they overlap in that i) the Caching Service updates OS X software, iOS software and any apps purchased from the app store while ii) the Software Update service updates OS X software.
If the above is correct they why would one run both Services? I would think that one would run the Caching Service and call it a day!
And while on the subject, what about caching and pushing third party apps like MS Office?

Linc Davis wrote:
The simple answer is that you almost certainly don't need the Software Update service. Just use the Caching service. Neither one works with content that doesn't come from Apple.
Appreciate the response but could you please explain the difference between the two as that is the one item that remains unanswered.
Thanks,
Joel

Notification of new package available in Software Update service

Hi all,
I'm (happily) using the Software Update service of OS X Server. I set it in 'manual' so as to be able to select which packages to download and offer to clients.
I wondered if there are means to be notified (notification or RSS or anything) of the availability of new packages, and therefore the need for me to check them.
Any idea ?
I tried digging and diffing the catalogs, but I guess there should be an easier way!
Thanks
Regards,
Benoît

I reply to my own question, should this be useful for anyone else:
http://rss.support.apple.com/?channel=DOWNLOADS

Controlling Software Update service - /Library/Software Update too large

We have multiple locations each with their own server that also runs Software Update repositories. One happens to be quite larger than the others, filling up the HD (200GB vs 100GB). Is there a way to trim them down automatically or do I need to manually stop serving up updates?
Thanks!

The Software Update service has been mostly rendered obsolete by the Caching service, which is much more efficient.

Mac OS X Lion Software Update service does not reflect 10.7.1 update

Hi all,
I recently upgraded my Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard server to 10.7.
Everything went ok, and the server tools are installed and working.
Last week, Apple released the 10.7.1 update, but this update is not reflected in the Lion Server's Software Update service.
Every time I start the catalog sync (either in the Server Admin app, or through Terminal), the sync process completes correctly without any errors, but the latest 10.7.1 update is not listed in the available updates.
Did I miss something there ?
Thanks in advance for your help,

Additional info:
I followed KBase art HT4771, and made the following changes:
1. Stopped the Software Update Service and quit Server Admin app
2. Updated /etc/swupd/swupd.plist to begin hosting OS X Lion software updates by typing the following Terminal command:
sudo /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c 'add :otherCatalogs:2 string index-lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog' /etc/swupd/swupd.plist
3. Updated /etc/swupd/swupd.conf to allow OS X Lion computers to receive updates as follows:
     "RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Darwin/11
     RewriteRule ^/index\.sucatalog$ /index-leopard-snowleopard.merged-1.sucatalog"
became
     "RewriteCond %{HTTP_USER_AGENT} Darwin/11
     RewriteRule ^/index\.sucatalog$ /index-lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog"
After completing this and restarted the Software Update Service, the Server's Software Update Service could find all updates, including Mac OS X 10.7.1 and more Lion updates (Multi-lingual voices, Server Essentials, ... ).
The issue is now that the client computers cannot find the Software Update server, though it is properly connected, regardless the selected catalog in /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.
I am now considering to erase all updates from server, delete all config files, and restart service from scratch.
Any other idea before I start the big deletion ?

Mac OS X Server v10.6.6 Software Update Service Host Older Updates?????

Is there a way to manually add older software updates to the software update service?
My issue started out like this. I would click change version beside both Mac OS X update/combo update v10.6.6 and select v10.6.5 because I want to push the older version. When I clicked save the check marks went away on those two items. I then figured I would refresh everything by renaming /var/db/swupd/http to /var/db/swupd/http-old and /etc/swupd/ to /etc/swupd-old. I restarted the service and all of the files were recreated and updates were downloaded but now when I click change version the older version is no longer available. Keep in mind that I still have the old folders so I can always go back and I can always download old updates from the Apple web site if need be. So if there is a way to manually add older updates hopefully my issue will be resolved. It was written in the description of Mac OS X Server v10.6.5 that a new feature was available that allowed hosting older updates but I can't find instructions on how to do so.
I welcome any takers. Thanks in advance!

I understood the older version only being able to be hosted/downloaded when they come available, but were updated on SUS due to a bug or something, so as far as I understood, apple wont let you host that VERSION of that file again, unless you had it before.
Essentially, they only allow sus to download the last version of it, if you had the one before the last version, you could keep it. I could/might/usually am wrong though.
my 2 cents

HT200272 software update service

Hi everybody
someone can explain me how to do software update service for mac clients. do we need to have internet access on both client and server? since long time I have stuck on this issue. please thanks

This is probably because you had it set to copy everything automatically in the first place and then you switched that option off. We run into the same problem and, unfortunately, you just have to bear the huge download of the last 4 years worth of Apple updates... Once that has been downloaded SUS will obey new settings. You may need to manually enable the updates if you changed that setting since the download started.
Mind it, since you would have everything there anyway there would be less of an issue leaving on the automatic download option...

Nokia Software Updater service is currently unavai...

Although I've re-installed the NSU, now version is 1.7.3en, getting the message "Nokia Software Updater service is currently unavailable"
What could be the problem?

For those having problems are they running Vista ?
I think the microsoft firewall has blocked the updater software.
I got round it by installing the old version from the CD (told it not to look for an update).
I they ran the updater program, which wouldn't run because there is a newer version
It then gave me the option to download the new version and then I got the microsoft firewall warning.
I selected the allow option and the new version installed fine.
I was then able to update my N97 to V11
N97 Firmware Version 20

Change Software Update Service storage location - OS X Server 2.2

What's the best way to change the file storage location used by the Software Update Service in Server 2.2? I don't want to change the default "Service Data" location for the other services.
Generally I like to make as few changes to the standard configuration as possible, but in this case I need to make an exception. I'd really like to to get the catalog of update files on to an External Pegasus RAID.
I've tried using a symlink to the /Library/Server/Software Update/Data folder. That didn't work as the service was unable to update the catalogs.
Should I use a symlink on the whole /Library/Server/Software Update/ folder or is there perhaps a better way?
With any potential solutions, how likely is is that changes I make likely to be overwritten with future updates.
Thanks,
GRW

Question (please use responses in bold in square brackets)
Response
1
Update went smoothly with NO problems [No]
No
2
Update actually solved existing previous problem with server [Not sure yet]
Not sure yet
3
Updated from Server App version 2.2 [Yes]
Yes
4
If answer to Q.3 was 'No' please advise previous server version [Server app version #]
5
OS X version at the time was 10.8.2 [Yes]
Yes
6
If answer to Q.5 was 'No' please advise previous OS X version [-]
To clarify:
1) As it was updating application data, I got an error message at the very end of the update saying that some application data may not be usable/work/wasn't updated (something to that tune) with a yellow triangle and exclamation mark inside it. After the update, I rebooted the server just in case then let everythign start up normally. All services turned on as per usual.
I have gone through most of my services that I run and I'll list off everything that I've tried out and it's state:
Caching Server - Looks OK
Contacts - Functioning so far as expected
Calendar - Functioning so far as expected
Profile Manager - Was able to test a push profile add and delete with success
DNS - Functioning as normal
Software Update - Looking good so far (I had issues with it stopping and restarting randomly with an interval of a month or two between events, hoping that is fixed, though it never affected functionality - it was in the error logs)
File Sharing - Working as expected
Open Directory - No issues thus far
VPN - Looks OK
Websites - Functioning as expected
Hope that helps you guys!

Should using the software update service be faster for the clients then downloading from apple?

I've got about 25 clients, a mixture of Snow Leopard and Lion systems in the office. I've recently turned on the Software update service on my snow leopard server (10.6.8, mac mini) and have a transparent server setup for the software updates service (dns redirects through the mini). All the machines see the mini and I believe they are pulling updates from it when the client runs their software update. I haven't noticed any real speed differnce though from pulling updates from the mini vs pulling from apple (though I have noticed less internet congestion).
Should this be faster because it's a local network transfer or not?
Thanks!

I'm a little concerned by the statement:
dns redirects through the mini
Are you saying you're masking Apple's DNS so that requests for swupdate.apple.com end up on your machine? That's the wrong approach. You should be setting the client's preferences to load from your server instead of Apple's.
In either case, there are three components to running Software Updaate.
1: download the catalog of available updates and compare what's installed to the list to identify which updates are needed
2: download the appropriate updates
3: install the updates.
Of the three steps, downloading the catalog is a lightweight process - the index is only a few hundred KB, so the difference in loading this from your server vs. Apple's is minimal. Additionally, this won't make any difference in the amount of time it takes the client to scan for which updates are needed since that's all work performed locally on the machine.
The only step that will be significantly faster is the actual downloading of available updates. These should happen at LAN speeds, rather than your internet connection speed (which is, presumably, slower), but then again, most updates are fairly small - a few megabytes is typical.
However, if no updates are available, or if they're only small, you won't see much difference in time between local and remote. The main advantage of using a local software update server is that you only need to download the updates from Apple once, rather than once per client.

Software Update Service house cleaning

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for