Software | Monthly software update schedule
The ITS Division deploys Windows, macOS and third party security patches and updates to all campus computers on a monthly basis. Microsoft regularly releases these software patches for its software products. These updates are released on the second Tuesday of each month. This is called Patch Tuesday. IT reviews the updates and releases them to the IT employees first, a test group called the Power User Group (PUG) and then to campus.
The updates may force a reboot of the computer upon the completion of the updates. Most Windows update require the computer to reboot. Not all macOS updates require a reboot.
It may take some time for your computer to receive updates after the time they are pushed out as indicated on the schedule. This depends on if your computer is powered on and connected to the network, as well as your network speed.
Monthly Update Schedule
IT Team Computers | Wednesday after Patch Tuesday (2nd Tuesday of the month) at noon for internal testing. |
Power User Group (PUG) | Wednesday after Patch Tuesday (2nd Tuesday of the month)at noon for additional testing. |
Employee Laptops and DLP Laptops | Thursday after Patch Tuesday at 2pm |
Employee and front campus desktops and campus student laptops | Friday after Patch Tuesday at 2pm |
Labs, Classrooms and Touchdown Spaces | Friday after Patch Tuesday at 2pm |
Student Classroom Laptops (Program Specific) | Friday after Patch Tuesday at 2pm |
Internet Facing Servers | After hours, Wednesday the day after patch Tuesday |
All other servers | After hours, the Saturday after patch Tuesday |
All desktop PCs will have the option to snooze the updates for up to 8 hours. After that, the updates will proceed to install.
There is a 4 hour snooze, a 3 hour and 45 minute snooze and then a 15 warning then the computer will auto reboot.
Mac users have the option to defer updates for one day.
Summary:
At the end of your shift leave your computer Powered On but Logged Out.
Note: macOS users do not need to be logged out.Computers that are powered off or not connected to a network will get their updates the next time they are powered on and connect to a network.
If no one is logged into the computer, the machine will automatically reboot as needed.
Laptops off campus will receive updates as long as they are powered on and connected to the internet.
After the updates have installed and the computer has rebooted, please test your application(s).
Zoom Updates
Zoom is set to auto update but the lastest version is available in the Software Center after Patch Tuesday.
Microsoft Updates
Microsoft 365 updates will auto update per Microsoft's release schedule.
macOS Adobe updates
New and enhanced features | Latest release of Acrobat DC
New and enhanced features | Latest release of Photoshop
New and enhanced features | Latest release of Lightroom
New and enhanced features | Latest release of Dreamweaver
New and enhanced features | Latest release of Audition
New and enhanced features | Latest release of InDesign
New and enhanced features | Latest release of Illustrator
New and enhanced features | Latest release of Premiere Pro
New and enhanced features | Latest release of After Effects
New and enhanced features | Latest release of Animate
How to delay or schedule a restart
Laptops will have a pop up prompting to Restart now or Close.
Clicking Close will snooze the restart for 3 hours (180 minutes).
When you see the orange dot on the Update icon in the task bar, you have updates pending.
From the bottom of your taskbar, right-click to open Windows Update
Or open the start menu and search for Windows UpdateChoose if you want Restart now or Schedule a restart
To schedule a restart, switch the toggle to on and choose the day and time. For security purposes the time to delay a restart is limited.
