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Testing updates

in our company we have 2 exchange servers, but these servers are not updated properly . now i have to install updates, but most of the articles saying i have test updates before installing, but i dont know how to test.

do i have to take the backup of existing server and restore it on test machine, but the server backup is around 1TB.

it may be a silly question but i never done it before. please help me how to set up test machine and testing update. while testing updates what should i consider.

can i install security updates without testing ?

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Patrick Bogers

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Mahesh

Since this is Microsoft Exchange (I assumed Exchange 2007 \ 2010) its running dotnet application (PowerShell) in background, Personally I avoid security updates related to dotnet frame work, as some times it might break some exchange functionality

Otherwise normal security updates can be installed without any issue
If anything goes wrong you can uninstall update

Also I would avoid device drivers \ firmware related updates unless there is genuine need \ problem
Also if you have Exchange 2007 active passive nodes or Exchange 2010 DAG, then you can switch databases to another node and then start patching as it requires reboot most probably
Normally you can take Exchange server system state backup before applying updates

Also if you are talking about Exchange specific updates (Roll ups and service packs), then its approach is totally different, such as putting server in maintenance mode and so on

You can get pretty much articles on that topic
Also its better to go one by one on exchange servers as stated earlier by others

Mahesh

Seth Simmons

This question has been classified as abandoned and is closed as part of the Cleanup Program. See the recommendation for more details.