Free System Center Updates Publisher 2011 Released to Web

System Center Updates Publisher 2011 is now available for download from Microsoft. The tool is designed to streamline various tasks associated with the administration of software update definitions deployed with the help of System Center Configuration Manager.

According to Microsoft, the tool is set up to streamline the work of independent software vendors, OEMs and IT administrators that need a tad of help to develop, and modify software update definitions, but also to import, export, publish and manage them.

Jeff Wettlaufer, Sr Technical Product Manager System Center, Management and Security Division notes that System Center Updates Publisher 2011 was created in response to customer input received by the software giant.

“This release was primarily driven by customer feedback over the past year. It all started last year at MMS (2010) where we got a lot of great feedback regarding the existing product,” Wettlaufer stated.

“Out of that feedback a plan was created to greatly improve the product for both customers and partners.”

The Redmond company made sure to pack a range of new features and additions into Updates Publisher 2011.

Wettlaufer provided a list of changes highlighting the evolution of System Center Updates Publisher 2011:

“•Simpler setup with no database installation

•An improved user interface that allows better control of managing software updates

•Improved applicability rule authoring experience

•Improved performance when importing and managing software updates

•The ability to create software update bundles

•The ability to define prerequisite and superseded updates as part of a software update definition

•A new “Automatic” publication type with which Updates Publisher 2011 can query Configuration Manager to determine whether the selected software updates should be published with full content or only metadata

•A new Software Update Cleanup Wizard that you can use to expire software updates that exist on the update server, but are not in the Updates Publisher 2011 repository.”

System Center Updates Publisher 2011 is avaolable for download here.