You create a WSUS computer group based on a host group.

WSUS computer groups cannot be created in a hierarchical structure. If the host groups are hierarchical, the selected host group and the host groups under it are created as separate WSUS computer groups. Additionally, the client immediately below each host group is registered in the created WSUS computer group.

Only those clients that are managed by the linked WSUS server are registered into the created WSUS computer group. In an environment where WSUS is hierarchized, you must execute the dcmwsus command to register into the WSUS computer group those clients managed by a lower WSUS server. For details about the operation in an environment where WSUS is hierarchized, see 7.3.3 Linking to a WSUS with a hierarchical structure.

To create a WSUS computer group:

1. Select a host group in the Software Distribution Manager host group column.
2. Click the Registration button.
   A WSUS computer group is created and displayed in the WSUS computer group column.
   

If the host group name is All computers or Unassigned computer, a computer group cannot be created. These are default computer groups that exist in WSUS.

(a) WSUS computer group naming method

A WSUS computer group name is automatically generated based on the host group name. You cannot changes this name.

If host groups are in a hierarchical structure, a name including the path is set. An underscore (_) is displayed as the path delimiter.

If the host group name contains any of the characters listed below, a WSUS computer group cannot be created. First, change the host group name and then create a WSUS computer group again.

~, #, $, ^, &, (, ), =, +, [, ], {, }, ;

(b) Selecting the client registration destination

If a WSUS computer group with the same name already exists when you are creating a WSUS computer group, select whether or not the existing registered clients are to be replaced.

A client can be registered in only a single WSUS computer group, except for All computers. Therefore, when you are creating a WSUS computer group, if there are clients that are already registered in other WSUS computer groups, select whether to change their registration destinations.

The following figure shows the flow for selecting client registration destinations.

Figure 7-12 Flow for selecting client registration destinations

Even when new a client is registered in the host group that was used as the basis for creating a WSUS computer group, or when the host group name is changed, these changes are not reflected in the WSUS computer group. Therefore, it is necessary to re-create the WSUS computer group on a regular basis to keep the registered clients up to date.

You can lighten the job of maintaining a WSUS computer group by matching the clients to be registered in the host group with those to be registered in the WSUS computer group, in advance.

(a) Adding clients to a WSUS computer group

To add clients to a WSUS computer group, add the clients to the host group and then re-create the WSUS computer group.

You can use this method only when both the WSUS computer group and the host group have the same name, and the configuration of the registered clients is identical.

To add clients to a WSUS computer group:

1. In Remote Installation Manager, add the clients to the host group.
2. From the Software Distribution Manager host group column in the Create WSUS Computer Group dialog box, select the host group to which the clients were added in step 1.
3. Click the Registration button.
   A confirmation message appears, asking whether to replace the clients registered in the WSUS computer group.
   
4. Click the OK button.
   The registered clients are replaced, and a WSUS computer group to which the clients are added is created.
   

(b) Splitting a WSUS computer group

To split a WSUS computer group, first create host groups at the clients that will be registered in the post-split WSUS computer groups, then create new WSUS computer groups based on these host groups.

The following figure shows the flow for splitting a WSUS computer group.

Figure 7-13 Flow for splitting a WSUS computer

To split a WSUS computer group:

1. In Remote Installation Manager, create the host groups that will become the basis for the post-split WSUS computer groups.
2. From the Software Distribution Manager host group column in the Create WSUS Computer Group dialog box, select the host groups that were created.
3. Click the Registration button.
   A confirmation message appears, asking whether to change the registration destination of the clients that are already registered in other WSUS computer groups.
   
4. Click Change All.
   WSUS computer groups are created based on the create host groups.
   Those clients whose registration destinations were changed are deleted from the original WSUS computer groups.
   

(c) Deleting a WSUS computer group

To delete a WSUS computer group:

1. In the WSUS computer group column, select the WSUS computer group to be deleted.
2. Click the Delete button.
   The selected WSUS computer group is deleted.
   The clients that were registered in the deleted WSUS computer group are registered in the WSUS computer group called Unassigned computer.
   

Note that you cannot delete the WSUS computer group called All computers or Unassigned computer.