It would be great if updates could be scheduled in general—meaning that quality updates could, for example, be scheduled to be postponed by 3 days, then installed manually 14 days after release, and finally enforced. Drivers are a special case—it would be great if they could be scheduled for a specific day (the release date from Microsoft, just like cumulative updates), because depending on when they’re released, there are months when they come out, say, three times a week and force you to restart. Then it would be possible to schedule them similarly to quality updates. Easy as that!

I think the issue with WSUS deprecation is... what is the recommended path for updating any server going forward? Not just air gapped. If Azure Arc is the answer, how do we handle 3rd-party updates that we currently publish through WSUS?

Can we get support for assignment filters for these policies? I'd like to auto-approve QMR for autopilot devices, but leave it manual for non-Autopilot devices and we can't do that now :(

Are there any plans to include these quality update policy settings in Autopatch Group policies instead of us having to balance using both to manage updates for our autopatch devices since these policies trump autopatch for approval and deferral periods?

Will the live session 'Ctrl + Manage: Episode 1 - Update management' be uploaded to youtube? 

Thanks for joining us for our first episode of Ctrl + Manage! Your questions are encouraged - post them here at any time during the live stream. 🙂

If your organization's policies prevent you from watching the event here, you can also tune in on LinkedIn.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/servicing/os/windows/docs/2026/09/windows-deployment-services-deprecation-in-the-next-windows-server-release

Hello,

With WSUS deprecation (https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/windows-server-update-services-wsus-deprecation/4250436), I'd be interested to hear the long-term direction for updating air-gapped devices.

Thanks  

Here are some suggestions for Windows Management topics, I would find interesting to hear from Microsoft see openly discussed with the community in future episodes AriaUpdated​.

• Quick Machine Reboot:
  This technology should prevent another Crowdstrike-like impact at pre-OS boot - But how do we get there fast and at scale on existing devices?
  
  System requirements:
  • WinRE Partition exists
  • WinRE Partition has a size of 2 GB
  • QMR Feature activated in Settings / Policy
  • reagentc.exe points to a valid WinRE partition and is enabled.
    
    Caveat: enabling QMR feature in settings or via policy does NOT ensure that all requirements mentioned before are met. 
  • What is required to improve adoption of QMR on Windows Clients and Windows Server?
    • Identified blockers: 
      • WinRE Parition on OEM devices, VMs and other installations
        • WinRE partition too small
        • removed by customers (reasons them deleding it and remediations)
        • how avoiding two WinRE partitions after in-place upgrades
        • considering adoption improvements for existing VMs and devices:
          Removing diskpart limitations vs 3rd party tools (moving partitions / flexible expanding existing partitions, currently only supports extend ( | >>) but not expand ( << |  - shrink previous volume shrink and move data to left)
        • all seems set / enabled but reagentc is not correctly configured
          
          
          
• HVCI adoption and adoption blockers, as mentioned here: 

   

• new NVMe driver
  • released and doing good for Windows Server 2025. Tests with Windows 11 24H2 indicate great improvements.
  • roadmap, migration and adoption in Windows 11
  • migration guidance or automation for devices that unfortunately using Intel RST / VMD
    
    
• ReFS OS boot
  • available in Windows Server vNext
  • roadmap, migration and adoption in Windows 11
  • benefits vs risks
  • interoperability with Bitlocker
    • considering adoption improvement for existing VMs and devices:
      NTFS to ReFS converter - we had that for FAT to FAT32 and FAT32 to NTFS.
      
      
• Bitlocker / Bitlocker HW accelerated encryption
  • Discussing new Bitlocker feature
    • considering adoption improvement for existing VMs and devices:
      XTS AES 256 is still not the default for OS and data volumes. Is Windows 7 compatibility still required?
    • migration and day two experiences / tools
  • Bitlocker Security in times of AI / Post-Quantum
    
    
• Windows version
  • get-computerinfo: reports Windows 10
    • 3rd party tools often get irritated
    • A change worth the risk in 2026+?
      
      

• Missing PowerShell commands, modules or switches
  • Which frequent management or troubleshooting tasks and scenarios require you to fallback to commandline tools in your scripts or at the command-line/ Microsoft Terminal. see also 
    
    
• 32bit apps - can we let them go, yet?
  • Discussing an optional removal of SYSWOW64
    • chances and benefits for
      • Windows Updates & patching
      • Autopilot and provisioning
      • Disk footprint in times of high NVMe and SSD storage costs
      • improved security
      • removing Windows Registry bloat
      • Application deployment and current "workarounds" and extra work for 32bit apps
      • Gaming improvements (Nvidia Smooth Motion / Frame Generation etc.)
      • Showcase the impossible: How old code shines with 64bit (wrappers):
        

        Community: https://github.com/Pannoniae/rex/releases#release-17/08
        Game Studio: https://community.creative-assembly.com/total-war/total-war/blogs/109-%E2%80%8Btotal-war-shogun-2-%E2%80%93-complete-edition-faqs

        Does this set the bar for business and LOB apps and tools for developers / ISVs?
        
        

    • Discussing the risks:
      • is Microsoft ready in terms of their own processes and tools
      • Installer landscape
      • Discussing and Identifying 32 bit apps and processes at scale.
      • Getting in touch with vendors / developers identifying low hanging fruits