Read this in other languages:

English, 日本語, Français

---

Section 1 – Creating your Playbook

The win_updates module is used to either check for or install Windows Updates. It uses the built-in Windows Update service, so you’ll still need a backend such as WSUS or the Microsoft Update servers. If your server’s Windows Update configuration is set to automatically download but not install, you can use this module to stage updates by telling it to search for them. You can also whitelist or blacklist specific updates — for example, installing only one security update instead of all available updates.

To begin, we’ll create a new playbook, following a similar process to earlier exercises.

---

Step 1 – Create the Playbook File

In Visual Studio Code:

1. In the Explorer view, locate your student# section where you previously made iis_basic.
2. Hover over the WORKSHOP_PROJECT folder and click the New Folder button. Name the folder win_updates and press Enter.
3. Right-click the new win_updates folder, select New File, name it site.yml, and press Enter.

You should now have an empty editor pane open for creating your playbook.

---

Section 2 – Write Your Playbook

Edit site.yml and add the following:

---
- hosts: windows
  name: This is my Windows patching playbook
  tasks:
    - name: Install Windows Updates
      win_updates:
        category_names: ""
        reboot: ""

Note

• win_updates: Checks for or installs updates.
• category_names: Allows you to limit updates to specific categories via a variable.
• reboot: If true, the remote host will reboot automatically when required, continuing the update process afterward. This is controlled via a survey variable so you can choose whether to reboot.

---

Section 3 – Save and Commit

1. In VS Code, click File → Save All.

1. Click the Source Code icon (1), type in a commit message such as Adding windows update playbook (2), and click the check box above (3).

1. Push your changes to GitLab by clicking the arrows on the lower left blue bar.

---

Section 4 – Create Your Job Template

In automation controller:

1. Go to Projects, and resync your project so the new playbook appears.
2. Go to Templates.
3. Click Create template, then select Create job template.

Fill out the form:

Field	Value
Name	Windows Updates
Description	(optional)
Job Type	Run
Inventory	Windows Workshop Inventory
Project	Ansible Workshop Project
Playbook	win_updates/site.yml
Execution Environment	Default execution environment
Credentials	Student Account
Limit	windows
Options	Enable fact storage

Click Create job template.

---

Add a Survey

1. On the Windows Updates job template page, click Survey tab and select the Create survey question button.
2. Fill in the first survey question:

Field	Value
Question	Which categories to install?
Description	(Optional)
Answer Variable Name	categories
Answer Type	Multiple Choice (multiple select)
Multiple Choice Options	Application Connectors CriticalUpdates DefinitionUpdates DeveloperKits FeaturePacks Guidance SecurityUpdates ServicePacks Tools UpdateRollups Updates
Default option	CriticalUpdates SecurityUpdates
Options	Required

Click Create survey question to save the question.

1. Add the second survey question:

Field	Value
Question	Reboot after install?
Description	(Optional)
Answer Variable Name	reboot_server
Answer Type	Multiple Choice (single select)
Multiple Choice Options	Yes No
Default option	Yes
Options	Required

1. Click Create survey question.

2. Back on the job template page, toggle the Survey Enabled button.

---

Section 5 – Run Your Playbook

1. Go to Templates in automation controller.
2. Locate the Windows Updates job template and click the Launch button (rocket icon).
3. When prompted:
   • Select the update categories.
   • Choose Yes for Reboot after install?
   • Click Next, then Launch.

You’ll be redirected to the job output page to watch progress in real-time.

---

Click here to return to the Ansible for Windows Workshop