Previous posts in this series have referenced the update approach to delivering Windows updates that was introduced first with Windows 10. One side effect of the cumulative update approach is that the single update released is larger than the individual updates of days past. Further, at each release of an update, size increases as additional updates are added over time. This can have a noticeable effect in an organization each month as these new and larger updates are distributed across the network
Express is a capability of WSUS and the Windows Update Agent that was added to help reduced the overall network impact of these larger updates. Express will identify just the portion of the update that is needed by the client and download only that piece. The effect is much smaller overall downloads on the client. Configuration Manager current branch 1702 (though 1710 and higher is recommended for best performance) added full support for Express. Understanding how Express works is important so that administrators know what to expect and can plan accordingly. In the video linked below, Steven Rachui, a Principal Premier Field Engineer focused on manageability technologies, details how Express works and how supporting Express is supported in a Configuration Manager environment.
This is the final post in this series. Please, leave us a comment and let us know your suggestions for topics for future series.
Posts in this Series