SolarWinds has released Solarwinds Diagnostic Tool for the WSUS agent, a simple and free patch management tool that helps systems administrators validate client configurations and troubleshoot client connection issues in their Microsoft® WSUS environment.
“The WSUS community has a desperate need for an updated diagnostic tool for the WSUS agent,” said Denny LeCompte, vice president of product management at SolarWinds. “When WSUS version two was first launched in 2005, Microsoft released the Client Diagnostic Tool, a free support tool. However, it has never been updated to reflect the myriad of changes that have occurred from WSUS v2 to WSUS v3 SP2, and the Client Diagnostic Tool is a 32-bit only tool, leaving 64-bit systems with no equivalent functionality.”
The free SolarWinds Diagnostic Tool for the WSUS agentvalidates key Windows Update Agent configuration values and identifies well-known causes for defective configuration values where possible. It tests connections to all WSUS resources required by a client and helps identify causes of connection failures. The tool also provides detailed descriptions of Windows Update Agent errors and the best steps to make repairs to correct errors.
Sysadmins who want to automate patching servers and third party applications across tens of thousands of servers and workstations should also download a free 30-day trial of SolarWinds Patch Manager.
With SolarWinds Patch Manager, IT pros gain more control with dynamic patch management, immediate updates, scheduled reboots, easy reporting, full asset inventory, and more:
* Receive pre-built, tested “WSUS-ready” packages for common third party applications or create your own packages and deploy any MSI, MSP, or EXE through WSUS.
* Manage updates dynamically, pushing the right patches to the right machines at the right time – including immediate updates and scheduled reboots.
* Execute custom actions with PackageBoot technology before and after patches are deployed, ensuring even the peskiest of patches deploy correctly.
* Perform enterprise-wide discovery and inventory to identify quickly which machines (both physical and virtual) need a patch or to identify rogue or unauthorized devices.
* Diagnose, repair, and force re-install of the Windows Update Agent.
* Discover and report on status of security and critical updates that were recently released by Microsoft.
SolarWinds Diagnostic Tool for the WSUS Agent is free.
SolarWinds Diagnostic Tool for the WSUS Agent
Download a free 30-day evaluation of SolarWinds Patch Manager
The Latest
According to Auvik's 2025 IT Trends Report, 60% of IT professionals feel at least moderately burned out on the job, with 43% stating that their workload is contributing to work stress. At the same time, many IT professionals are naming AI and machine learning as key areas they'd most like to upskill ...
Businesses that face downtime or outages risk financial and reputational damage, as well as reducing partner, shareholder, and customer trust. One of the major challenges that enterprises face is implementing a robust business continuity plan. What's the solution? The answer may lie in disaster recovery tactics such as truly immutable storage and regular disaster recovery testing ...
IT spending is expected to jump nearly 10% in 2025, and organizations are now facing pressure to manage costs without slowing down critical functions like observability. To meet the challenge, leaders are turning to smarter, more cost effective business strategies. Enter stage right: OpenTelemetry, the missing piece of the puzzle that is no longer just an option but rather a strategic advantage ...
Amidst the threat of cyberhacks and data breaches, companies install several security measures to keep their business safely afloat. These measures aim to protect businesses, employees, and crucial data. Yet, employees perceive them as burdensome. Frustrated with complex logins, slow access, and constant security checks, workers decide to completely bypass all security set-ups ...

In MEAN TIME TO INSIGHT Episode 13, Shamus McGillicuddy, VP of Research, Network Infrastructure and Operations, at EMA discusses hybrid multi-cloud networking strategy ...
In high-traffic environments, the sheer volume and unpredictable nature of network incidents can quickly overwhelm even the most skilled teams, hindering their ability to react swiftly and effectively, potentially impacting service availability and overall business performance. This is where closed-loop remediation comes into the picture: an IT management concept designed to address the escalating complexity of modern networks ...
In 2025, enterprise workflows are undergoing a seismic shift. Propelled by breakthroughs in generative AI (GenAI), large language models (LLMs), and natural language processing (NLP), a new paradigm is emerging — agentic AI. This technology is not just automating tasks; it's reimagining how organizations make decisions, engage customers, and operate at scale ...
In the early days of the cloud revolution, business leaders perceived cloud services as a means of sidelining IT organizations. IT was too slow, too expensive, or incapable of supporting new technologies. With a team of developers, line of business managers could deploy new applications and services in the cloud. IT has been fighting to retake control ever since. Today, IT is back in the driver's seat, according to new research by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) ...
In today's fast-paced and increasingly complex network environments, Network Operations Centers (NOCs) are the backbone of ensuring continuous uptime, smooth service delivery, and rapid issue resolution. However, the challenges faced by NOC teams are only growing. In a recent study, 78% state network complexity has grown significantly over the last few years while 84% regularly learn about network issues from users. It is imperative we adopt a new approach to managing today's network experiences ...

From growing reliance on FinOps teams to the increasing attention on artificial intelligence (AI), and software licensing, the Flexera 2025 State of the Cloud Report digs into how organizations are improving cloud spend efficiency, while tackling the complexities of emerging technologies ...