What is an Unattended Console Configuration?

An unattended console is a console you set up once. After that the console automatically updates its own files and manages its machines without human assistance.

Here's how it works: The unattended console is configured to automatically perform periodic scans and to automatically deploy any patches it detects as missing on its target machines. The console will contain a patch scan template that is defined to look for a particular set of patches. The set of patches is contained in a patch list that resides on a distribution server.

Now, when new patches are released by a vendor (for example, the monthly patches released by Microsoft Corporation), an administrator simply updates the patch list on the distribution server. When the unattended console performs its next scheduled scan it will automatically reference the updated list and will patch its target machines, all without human intervention.

Of course, the unattended consoles can also be configured to use the data rollup feature so that you can track what is happening on each of your unattended consoles from one central site.

The following figure illustrates an unattended console configuration.

1 - Rollup console

2 - Managed machines

3 - Unattended console

4 - Distribution server

5 - Patch list

For more information, see Implementing an Unattended Console Configuration.