Windows Update Details - AVD Test

Microsoft regularly releases various Windows updates to enhance and protect the Windows operating system. These updates are also applicable for the virtual desktops that host Windows operating system. The Windows updates fix newly discovered security holes and bugs, add malware definitions to Windows Defender and Security Essentials utilities, strengthen Office security and add new features/enhancements to the Windows operating system. By installing these updates regularly, you can keep the operating system highly secure, reliable and stable, and can maintain the performance of the operating system at peak. If the operating system is not updated regularly, the critical bugs and security errors may increase vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities can be exploited by the malware or hackers, thus exposing the operating system to malicious attacks and degrading the operating system's performance. To avoid such eventualities, you should regularly check whether the Windows operating system is up-to-date or not. This check can be easily done using the Windows Update Details - AVD test.

This test continuously monitors the Azure virtual desktops and reports the current status of the Windows updates on the Windows operating system hosted by the azure virtual desktops. Besides, this test indicates whether any update is pending for the operating system and whether the Windows system is rebooted or not. In the process, this test also reports the total number of updates to be installed for the operating system and the number of Windows updates of different types at regular intervals.

This test is disabled by default. To enable the test, go to the enable / disable tests page using the menu sequence : Agents -> Tests -> Enable/Disable, pick Microsoft Windows as the desired Component type, set Performance as the Test type, choose the test from the disabled tests list, and click on the < button to move the test to the ENABLED TESTS list. Finally, click the Update button.

Target of the test : An Azure Virtual Desktop

gent deploying the test : An internal agent

Outputs of the test : One set of results for the target Azure Virtual Desktop being monitored.

Configurable parameters for the test
Parameter Description

Test period

How often should the test be executed.

Host

The host for which the test is to be configured.
Port

The port at which the specified host listens. By default, this is NULL.

DD Frequency

Refers to the frequency with which detailed diagnosis measures are to be generated for this test. The default is 1:1. This indicates that, by default, detailed measures will be generated every time this test runs, and also every time the test detects a problem. You can modify this frequency, if you so desire. Also, if you intend to disable the detailed diagnosis capability for this test, you can do so by specifying none against DD FREQUENCY.

Detailed Diagnosis

To make diagnosis more efficient and accurate, the eG suite embeds an optional detailed diagnostic capability. With this capability, the eG agents can be configured to run detailed, more elaborate tests as and when specific problems are detected. To enable the detailed diagnosis capability of this test for a particular server, choose the On option. To disable the capability, click on the Off option.

The option to selectively enable/disable the detailed diagnosis capability will be available only if the following conditions are fulfilled:

  • The eG manager license should allow the detailed diagnosis capability
  • Both the normal and abnormal frequencies configured for the detailed diagnosis measures should not be 0.
Measurements made by the test
Measurement Description Measurement Unit Interpretation

Windows update status

Indicates the current status of the windows update.

The values that this measure can report and the numeric values they indicate have been listed in the table below:

Measure Value Numeric Value
Up to date 0
Vulnerable 1
Highly vulnerable 2

Note:

By default, this measure can report the Measure Values mentioned above while indicating the current status of the windows update. However, the graph of this measure is indicated using the numeric equivalents.

Is a system reboot pending?

Indicates whether the Windows system is rebooted or not.

The values that this measure can report and the numeric values they indicate have been listed in the table below:

Measure Value Numeric Value
No 0
Yes 1

Note:

By default, this measure can report the Measure Values mentioned above while indicating whether the system is rebooted or not. However, the graph of this measure is indicated using the numeric equivalents.

Windows update service status

Indicates the current status of the Windows update service.

The values that this measure can report and the numeric values they indicate have been listed in the table below:

Measure Value Numeric Value
Unknown 0
Running 1
Start pending 2
Continue pending 3
Pause pending 4
Stop pending 5
Paused 6
Stopped 7

Note:

By default, this measure can report the Measure Values mentioned above while indicating the current status of Windows update service. However, the graph of this measure is indicated using the numeric equivalents.

Total updates available

Indicates the total number of Windows updates available for the target AVD.

Number

The detailed diagnosis of this measure, if enabled, lists the Windows updates available for the system and the categories of the available updates.

Critical updates available

Indicates the number of critical updates available for the target AVD.

Number

A critical update is a widely and frequently released update that deals with the specific, non-security related, critical bugs. If these bugs are not fixed quickly, they can cause serious performance degradation, interoperability malfunction or disturb application compatibility.

Important updates available

Indicates the number of important updates available for the target AVD.

Number

The important updates help fixing the vulnerabilities using which malware/hackers can exploit the system resources or steal data. This in tun may leave the confidentiality and integrity of the system defenseless and make the user data unavailable.

Moderate updates available

Indicates the number of moderate security updates available for the target AVD.

Number

The moderate updates fix a vulnerability whose exploitation can be mitigated to a significant degree by default configuration, auditing, or difficulty of exploitation.

Low updates available

Indicates the number of low security updates available for the target AVD.

Number

These updates fix the vulnerability whose exploitation is extremely difficult.

Optional updates available

Indicates the number of optional updates available for the target AVD.

Number

An optional update includes Feature Pack and standard Updates, and does not have a severity rating.

Scan status

Indicates the scan status for the target AVD.

 

The values that this measure can report and the numeric values they indicate have been listed in the table below:

Measure Value Numeric Value
Failed 0
Successful 1

Note:

By default, this measure can report the Measure Values mentioned above while indicating the scan status of the AVD. However, the graph of this measure is indicated using the numeric equivalents.