Updated: July 14, 2020 (January 24, 2005)
Charts & IllustrationsHow Do WUS and SMS Compare?
Although the Windows Update Services (WUS)/Windows Update client duo and Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 both can provide organizations with a centralized patch management system, SMS 2003 has many more capabilities. This chart highlights some of the key similarities and differences.
| Criteria | SMS 2003 | WUS |
| Updates Microsoft OSs and applications | Partial (not all applications supported now, but will be supported eventually) | Partial (not all applications supported now, but will be supported eventually) |
| General software distribution | Yes, can install any application that supports a silent install either natively or through repackaging tools | No (for distributing and installing updates only) |
| Hardware and software inventory | Yes | No |
| License and software use tracking | Yes | No |
| Status reporting | Comprehensive and extensible; can be displayed in Web reports viewable by non-administrators | Primitive, no summary reports, |
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