According to a Microsoft announcement, Windows administrators can now opt in to automatic updates for .NET Framework and .NET Core through Microsoft Update (MU) on Windows Server systems.
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The new feature became available yesterday and once enabled will add .NET Core 3.1, .NET 5.0 , and .NET 6.0 to the Automatic Updates channel as a third option above Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) and the Microsoft Update Catalog.
As Jamshed Damkewala, one of the .NET Principal Engineering Managers at Microsoft, said: “We are pleased to announce that starting April 2022, we will make monthly updates to modern .NET (.NET Core), available for operating systems via Microsoft Update (MU) on an opt-in basis.”
«If you do not want your servers to be updated automatically, no action is required from you. There is no change for client operating systems which will continue to receive updates through Automatic Updates, WSUS, and the MU Catalog as before.»
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The new feature is aimed at users looking for a way to install .NET updates without using a deployment tool, just like on Windows client platforms
By making the change, administrators will be able to choose their preferred method of keeping server operating systems up to date, depending on their deployment approach.
To enable automatic .NET updates on Windows Server, set the registry keys listed in the following table (manually or using Group Policy as described here).
"We are excited to begin delivering updates for modern .NET on server operating systems through Microsoft Update on an opt-in basis and look forward to your feedback on this experience," Damkewala added.
In December 2020, following customer requests, Microsoft first began delivering .NET and .NET Core updates to Windows through Microsoft Update.
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In early April 2022, the company reminded customers that many .NET Framework versions (i.e., 4.5.2, 4.6, and 4.6.1) signed using the insecure Secure Hash Algorithm 1 (SHA-1) would be retired at the end of the month
Redmond also plans to launch a new Windows Autopatch service in July 2022 that will automatically keep Windows and Office software up to date for Microsoft customers with a Windows 10/11 Enterprise E3 license or above .
