Automate Windows Updates & Testing for Azure and Local Servers
Why Automate Windows Updates?
Over the past five years, Microsoft has released 12 to 24 updates
per year with the rapid growth in Azure and local
servers—estimated at 4 to 6 million Azure servers
worldwide—keeping systems updated is a growing challenge
Argent WorkFlow is the solution
Case Study 1: Manage Azure Updates
A web application with two front-end servers, a mid-layer application server, and a backend SQL server (all in Azure) requires updates in this specific sequence to avoid errors:
1: Apply Windows Updates to both front-end servers in parallel2: Stop both front-end servers after update
3: Apply Windows Updates to the mid-layer application server
4: Stop the mid-layer application server after update
5: Apply Windows Updates to the backend SQL Server
6: Restart SQL Server after update
7: Wait until SQL Server is fully up (using Argent Connectivity Rule)
8: Start mid-layer application server
9: Wait until mid-layer application server is fully up
10: Start both front-end servers
Case Study 2: Routine Maintenance of Temporary Files
On 195 servers, a third-party program leaves gigabytes of
temporary files daily
Without cleanup, servers crash due to lack of disk
space
These servers contain sensitive data and do not allow
remote access Argent WorkFlow automates local cleanup with:
- Command file
CLEAN_TEMP_FILES.cmd
- PowerShell Action Alert
PS_CLEANUP_LOCALLY
1: Run
PS_CLEANUP_LOCALLY
in parallel on
all servers2: Generate a report and spreadsheet of available disk space on all servers
Case Study 3: Monitor Enterprise Application Every Minute
For the web application above, the system is functional only if:
- SQL backend is fully functional
- Mid-layer application server is fully functional
- At least one front-end server is functional
Case Study 4: Daily VM Snapshots of 104 Azure VMs
Argent automates daily snapshots for 104 critical Azure VMs using the built-in Create VM Snapshot action and sends daily reports
Case Study 5: Insurance Company – Ordered Updates
For a large international insurance company, Argent WorkFlow applies Windows Updates to claim processing, database, and file servers in a specific order to avoid application issues, including automated RDP sessions and GUI program startups
Argent WorkFlow Alerts & Built-In Actions
- Alerts: Reboot, PowerShell Script, SQL Query, System Command, Windows Service, WMI, Linux/Unix Script
- Actions: Apply Windows Update, Start/Stop/Restart VM, Create VM Snapshot, List Pending Updates, RDP Then Disconnect
Full audit logging for CJIS, GDPR, FDLE and other compliance standards
Get Started
Automate all your common chores today
Download Argent WorkFlow
Argent deploys in under seven minutes, no reboot needed
Contact Us
Discuss your automation needs with an Argent technical consultant: