The World According to Mitch

Here’s a great way to waste time, network bandwidth, and storage space: download excess patches that you do not need.  For bonus points, download languages you don’t support. 

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a great solution that has come a long way since it was introduced.  However it gives a lot of us functionality that we don’t need (and will cost).  Here’s an example: I support an environment where people speak English, Spanish, Urdu, and Hindi.  Between us we probably speak another six languages, but those are the mother tongues in this office.  So when the WSUS configuration screen asks what languages I want to support, it is easy to forget that every operating system in the joint is English…

Imagine you have to download 10GB of patches.  That could immediately translate to 10GB of patches per language.  Time, effort, and not to mention that you should be testing them all… it’s just not worth it.  What language are your servers in?  Mine are in English.  My workstations are also English, but we might have to account for a few French workstations – especially in Quebec.  That’s it.  Don’t go overboard, and your bandwidth will thank me!