Step 1

Understand the differences between the types of Group Update Providers that you can configure

A single Group Update Provider is a dedicated client computer that provides content for one or more groups of clients. Multiple Group Update Providers use a set of rules, or criteria, to elect themselves to serve groups of clients in their subnet. An explicit list of Group Update Providers lets clients connect to Group Update Providers that are on subnets other than the client's own subnet. You use the explicit list to map the single Group Update Providers and multiple Group Update Providers to the client subnets.

The types of Group Update Provider that you choose to configure depends on your network and the clients on that network.

See About the types of Group Update Providers.

See About the effects of configuring more than one type of Group Update Provider in your network.

See About configuring rules for multiple Group Update Providers.

Step 2

Verify client communication

Before you configure Group Update Providers, verify that the clients can receive content updates from the server. Resolve any client-server communication problems.

You can view client-server activity in the System logs on the Logs tab of the Monitors page.

See Troubleshooting communication problems between the management server and the client.

Step 3

Configure Group Update Providers in one or more LiveUpdate Settings policies

You configure Group Update Providers by specifying Server Settings in the LiveUpdate Settings policy. You can configure a single Group Update Provider, an explicit list of Group Update Providers, or multiple Group Update Providers.

See Configuring Group Update Providers.

Step 4

Assign the LiveUpdate Settings policy to groups

You assign the LiveUpdate Settings policy to the groups that use the Group Update Providers. You also assign the policy to the group in which the Group Update Provider resides.

For a single Group Update Provider, you assign one LiveUpdate Settings policy per group per site.

For multiple Group Update Providers and explicit lists of Group Update Providers, you assign one LiveUpdate Settings policy to multiple groups across subnets.

See Assigning a policy to a group.

Step 5

Verify that clients are designated as Group Update Providers

You can view the client computers that are designated as Group Update Providers. You can search client computers to view a list of Group Update Providers. You can also click a client computer on the Clients page and view its properties to see whether or not it is a Group Update Provider.

See Searching for the clients that act as Group Update Providers.