Windows updates on Citrix servers

[cookie_monster]

We are currently running Citrix 4.5 on server 2003, we only have two units but this is likely to be increased. When this system was installed roughly six months ago the company suggested avoiding installing Windows updates as they had a habit of upsetting Citrix and so we should rely on AV software. I'm not very happy about this situation as we use WSUS to update all of our other Windows kit.

 

Can I get a few suggestions from any Citrix shops out there, what are the pitfalls and can you patch one box and see the result or can you not observe the results unless all servers in the farm have been updated?

 

Thanks.

[Butuz]

Doesn't sound very sensible advice to me.

 

I'll ask my mate - he's a Citrix Architect and uses 4.5 on thousands of clients. He'll know!

 

Butuz

[Ric_]

@cookie_monster: That advice is rather dumb... patches are made for a reason!

 

Just be sensible, test the updates and apply them at a suitable time - disable access to a server as you perform the update so that your clients won't notice anything.

[cookie_monster]

Yep my thinking exactly but i've not really been in a position until now to go against this suggestion, just in case. Do you use WSUS to update your Citrix boxes?

[Oops_my_bad]

We use WSUS to patch our xenapp servers, although we do not auto install. We usually install them of an evening if no one is using it. No problems so far, the ones you have to watch out for are the patches released by citrix!

[cookie_monster]

Yes I was also warned about applying patches from Citrix as they have a habit of going very wrong. I think i'll just do the same as the rest of our servers and set WSUS to download but not install.