I've found patching to be my biggest issue with Microsoft products. Applying
a service pack to Windows 2000 has become far more complex to deploy than
old NT4 Service Packs mainly due to the added logic to check the system
state and the numerous file signing / windows file protection signature
handling issues before SP2. SQL 2000 patching is not any more simple as the
SP failed the first time and I've had to run it 6 times before the SQL
scripts would stop generating errors. Then I find out that the MDAC portion
did not install correctly! The rollup fix in MS02-007 is a manual process
making me wonder why they could not bother building an installer. I've had
to write VBScript to make Internet Explorer fixes install in a more user
friendly fashion. Maybe this is a bit of a vent but they have made life a
bit better with rollup fixes now they got to make those installers more
consistent and automation friendly.

-----Original Message-----
From: Damien Adams [mailto:dadamsscientech.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2002 11:16 AM
To: H C; focus-mssecurityfocus.com
Subject: RE: MBSA and MS's attempts at "security"

***---SNIP---***
>
>Rather than coming up with ways to further inundate MS
>admins with information, MS should be focusing on more
>pressing issues, such as:
>
>1. Some way of making patch and SP roll-outs more
>painless.
>
***---SNIP---***

I sat in on Microsoft's HFNetChk WebCast yesterday and asked the webcast
leaders if Microsoft planned on coming out with anything like HFNetChk Pro
but without a cost for their current customers. My question was never
directly answered and I dont know if anyone elses was either. The Q/A was
more of one of the moderaters taking all the questions that were put in and
summarizing with his own question to another of the moderaters. To answer a
self posed question concerning a GUI interface for HFNetChk, attendees were
pointed towards Shavliks HFNetChk Pro. As for patch roll-out, attendees
were told that Microsoft is working on new features for SMS. Microsoft
Corporate Update Server was mentioned (which we were all told would be
around May when they first mentioned it last year)and one of the moderators
said to expect it around May until another one cut him off and wouldnt give
even an approximate time frame.

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