ESU Patch Add-Ons

BigFix content supporting the Extended Support Updates (ESU) patching program from Microsoft® is available as an add-on to BigFix Patch, BigFix Lifecycle and BigFix Compliance.

Supported platforms: The BigFix ESU content is available on Windows™ 7 and Windows™ 2008 only.

Unlike the standard Windows™ patches from Microsoft®, ESU patches require a paid subscription. To enforce the subscription, ESU patches check for an activation key called MAK (Multiple Activation Key) during patch installation. If the key is not present on the endpoint, the ESU patch installation fails. The BigFix ESU Patch add-ons enable Fixlets to automate the distribution of Microsoft® ESU across your endpoints and provide patch Fixlets for the Microsoft® ESU patches. The main objective of these add-on products is to allow a relatively seamless continuation of your organization’s patch process into the extended support period.

This guide describes how to enable and use the BigFix ESU patch content. Many examples quoted in the guide are from Windows™ 7, but the content applies to both Windows™ 7 and Windows™ Server 2008.