Sensible network admins use Windows Server Update Services to distribute Windows/Office updates to the computers they manage.

Why? Because WSUS enables total control over what updates are installed and when, and it saves on internet bandwidth because an update only needs downloading once before it's distributed over your internal network. You can't control what updates are delivered via Automatic Updates, and unless you've set up the individual machines to use Microsoft Update they'll use Windows Update by default and so won't get any updates for Office automatically. If you're running any XP or 2003 products, this can be a Bad Thing™.

To make a WSUS admin's life easier Microsoft have released a few programs. Here are my favourite 3:

Server Diagnostic Tool - This program has been designed to help administrators gather Windows Server Update Services Server debugging logs and configuration information for further troubleshooting. You can also purge downloaded updates that you have declined to save disk space - very useful!

Client Diagnostic Tool - This tool has been designed to aid the WSUS administrator in troubleshooting client machines that are failing to report back to the WSUS Server. The tool will conduct preliminary checks and test the communication between the WSUS Server and the client machine. Once the tool has completed the tests it will display the results in the console window. Much easier than trying to read through the log file to see what's wrong.

Windows Server Update Services API Samples and Tools - This is a collection of scripts and tools most of which I don't use, but there is one very useful program in amongst them. The Update Services Notifications service. A service that periodically sends email notifications to selected users about synchronized updates, and an update status summary. WSUS by default doesn't let you know what new updates are available but if you use this tool you'll know as soon as you open your email! Highly recommended.

I hope you find these as useful as I do. :)