Microsoft has taken its Solution Accelerator design to update offline virtual machines to the next level. The Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool version 2.0 went live on the Microsoft Download Center on November 24, 2008, and is now available for download.

The Solution Accelerator enables Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager library items to be maintained, even if offline. Via the Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool 2.0 updates can be integrated into the virtualized operating systems, which otherwise would not be serviced, and would inherently represent a security risk.

“The Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool manages the workflow of updating large numbers of offline virtual machines according to their individual needs. To do this, the tool works with Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM 2007 or 2008) and with software update management systems (at present, either Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS 3.0 or 3.1), or Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007, 2007 SP1, or 2007 R2,” reads the official description of the Solution Accelerator.

According to Microsoft, Offline Virtual machine Servicing Tool 2.0 is designed to provide updates to Windows Server 2003 R2 and SP1, Windows XP Professional SP2, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, when running as guest operating systems.

Microsoft has informed that version 1 of the Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool will have to be uninstalled before the latest iteration is deployed. However, the Redmond company has ensured that the configuration settings can be transitioned between the two versions of the Solution Accelerator.

“Version 2 of the Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool keeps the features of version 1, and adds support for Windows 2008 and Hyper-V and VMM 2008. Version 2 also adds support for WSUS 3.1 and Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 and R2. Finally, Version 2 adds support for virtual machines with 64-bit operating systems,” Microsoft adds.

The Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool 2.0 is available for download here.