14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has tried various approaches to refine the experience with Windows updates in the last few years, and now the company is embracing a new idea that could make the installation of servicing stack updates and new patches much more straightforward.
As observed by WL, Microsoft now combines SSUs with the latest Windows 10 cumulative update, so the packages are shipped in just one installer for easier deployment.
While this comes in handy to everybody, organizations where manual update deployment is necessary are the main ones to benefit from this new system, especially because just one package can be used for both SSUs and cumulative updates.
Previously, these organizations had to deploy two different packages every month.
“This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) makes sure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates,” Microsoft explains in a tech support document detailing one servicing stack update.
“Additionally, this update enables a single package design that incorporates the servicing stack update (SSU) into the latest cumulative update (LCU). Combining the SSU and LCU update into a single package provides a more seamless deployment and installation experience.”
New feature update coming
The change concerns all Windows 10 versions on the market, and will most likely be used for the upcoming OS feature updates too.
The next to get the go-ahead is the 21H1 release, which is likely to land in the form of a cumulative update with the focus on under the hood improvements. This means Microsoft plans to ship two such updates in a row, while bigger changes are expected to be included in the fall update coming later this year in the fall.
For now, Microsoft is yet to share too many specifics on the next Windows 10 feature update, but it’s expected in the spring anyway.