Applying Automated Updates

XenCenter allows you to apply automated updates that are needed to bring your servers up-to-date. You can apply these updates to one or more pools. When you choose to apply automated updates, XenCenter applies the minimum set of updates that are required to bring the selected pool or the standalone server up-to-date. XenCenter minimizes the number of reboots required to bring the pool or the standalone server up-to-date, and where possible, limits it to a single reboot at the end.

As a prerequisite, XenCenter requires Internet access to fetch the required updates. When you choose to apply automated updates, all the required updates get applied.

To view the list of required updates, perform the following steps:

1. Select the server from the Resources pane.
2. Navigate to the General tab.
3. Expand the Updates section. You can see:
   • Applied - lists already applied updates.

   • Required Updates - lists the set of updates required to bring the server up-to-date.

     Note: If there are no updates required, the Required Updates section will not be displayed.

   • Installed supplemental packs - lists supplemental pack that are installed on the server (if installed).

     Note: If you select a pool instead of a server, the Updates section on the General tab lists the updates that are already applied as Fully applied.

If you would like to install specific updates to a pool or a managed server, see Applying updates to your managed servers.

Note: The Automated Updates feature is available for XenServer Enterprise Edition customers, or those who have access to XenServer through their XenApp/XenDesktop entitlement. For more information about licensing, see About XenServer Licensing.

The following section provides step-by-step instructions on how to apply automated updates using the Install Update wizard.

1. From the XenCenter menu, select Tools and then select Install Update.
2. Read the information displayed on the Before You Start page and then click Next.
3. Select the mechanism by which you would like to install the updates:
   • Automated Updates - (default) this option is visible only if XenCenter is connected to at least one licensed pool or a licensed standalone server. Select this option to automatically download and install all the current updates from Citrix to bring the pool or a standalone server up-to-date.
   • Download update from Citrix - the Install Update wizard lists available updates from the Citrix Support site. To apply the updates, see Applying updates to your managed servers.
   • Select update or Supplemental pack from disk - to install an update you have already downloaded, see Installing previously downloaded section. To install supplemental pack updates, see Installing Supplemental Packs.
4. Click Next.
5. Select one or more pools or standalone servers that you would like to update and click Next. Any server or pool that cannot be updated appears greyed out.

6. The Install Update wizard performs a number of update prechecks, including the free space check on the servers.

   Follow the on-screen recommendations to resolve any prechecks that are failed. If you prefer XenCenter to automatically resolve all failed prechecks, click Resolve All.

7. When the prechecks have been resolved, click Next to continue.

   The Install Update wizard automatically downloads and installs the recommended updates. The wizard also shows the overall progress of the update, displaying the major operations that XenCenter performs while updating each server in the pool.

   Notes:

   • The updates will be uploaded to the default SR of the pool. If the default SR is not shared, or does not have enough space, XenCenter tries to upload the update to another shared SR with sufficient space. If none of the shared SRs have sufficient space, the update will be uploaded to local storage on each server.
   • The update progress of a pool stops on the first error regardless of any possible further actions that could still be run.
8. When the updates have been applied, click Finish to close the Install Update wizard.