Windows Server 2016, 2018-07, several cumulative updates?

Question

On my Windows Server 2016 system, I have installed Windows Update "2018-07 cumulative update for Windows Server 2016 for x64-based systems" successfully. Two times already, today it is popping up for a third install.

At first I thought this is an error, but now I see that the KBs are different: latest one is KB4338822, before was KB4345418 and KB4338814.

I thought there was just one monthly update. With (now) 3 monthly updates, this is getting rather tedious (updates on our servers are manual).

Are the cumulative updates not monthly anymore? Or can/should I delay the update 1 or 2 weeks so that it includes previous "cumulative" versions for less server reboots?

Answer 1

Are the cumulative updates not monthly anymore?

The cumulative updates have never been restricted to only being released once per month. The idea behind the cumulative updates is multiple issues are fixed in a single group of updates, allowing you to only install the most recent group of updates, depending on your update strategy. In the past (before Windows 10/Windows Server 2016), those three updates would have been around 20-30 different updates, released throughout the month, instead of all at once.

Or can/should I delay the update 1 or 2 weeks so that it includes previous "cumulative" versions for less server reboots?

That is only something you can decide.

KB4338822 superseded both KB4338814 and KB4345418

Two times already, today it is popping up for a third install.

What you describe isn't abnormal

I thought there was just one monthly update. With (now) 3 monthly updates, this is getting rather tedious (updates on our servers are manual).

Microsoft has been releasing multiple cumulative updates per month for over 3 years now.

Answer 2

The original response is incomplete at best. There's no need to install each of the cumulative updates because they serve different purposes. If your primary goals are security and stability, then install the "patch Tuesday" (the second Tuesday of the month) release. Another update is usually released on the third week. They refer to this as a quality update because this has bug fixes and improvements not included in the patch Tuesday release. You can think of this as an early release, but at the same time, is a true cumulative update, so it includes the latest patch Tuesday updates as well.

See https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/mu/2017/06/27/patching-with-windows-server-2016/

In short, install the patch Tuesday version and ignore the others unless you are testing or need a specific bug fix and can't wait for the next patch Tuesday.