Editor's note 9.25.2024: This post has been updated to define deprecation and provide clarity on how this impacts WSUS. As part of our vision for simplified Windows management from the cloud, Micr...
Updated Sep 24, 2024
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LytchettNM Windows Update for Business still offers some controls for staged deployment via GPO and also Intune policies. And it's a free service.
If have a serious number of Windows Server workloads mind that you can get Windows Server Datacenter at serious discounts for education including Software Assurance, through volume licensing.
Hosting these Windows Server workloads on Azure Stack HCI 23H2+ will offer you Windows Server, SQL and Linux Updates through Azure Update Manager, Azure Stack HCI and ESU, free of cost. Plus some other benefits.
True, it needs adoption, yet for many connected scenarios it's possible to replace the free WSUS with other free services when making use of licensing rights.
As written in my previous posting, disconnected scenarios are not respected well. Yet the deprecation of WSUS does not mean WSUS will stop working or be removed soon.
I even doubt this will be the case as long Configmgr is around and used by enterprises with Enterprise Agreement or M365.
If you have more questions how to transition EDU setups, at your pace, please let me know your concerns. I am thinking about writing a blogpost after gathering some scenarios.