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Title: Microsoft Is Opening Windows Update To Third-Party Apps

Link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/05/28/2232...

Microsoft is previewing a new Windows Update orchestration platform that lets
third-party apps schedule and manage updates alongside system updates,
"aiming to centralize update scheduling across Windows 11 devices," reports
The Register. From the report: On Tuesday, Redmond announced it's allowing a
select group of developers and product teams to hook into the Windows 11
update framework. The system doesn't push updates itself but allows apps to
register their own update logic via WinRT APIs and PowerShell, enabling
centralized scheduling, logging, and policy enforcement. "Updates across the
Windows ecosystem can feel like a fragmented experience," wrote Angie Chen, a
product manager at the Borg, in a blog post. "To solve this, we're building a
vision for a unified, intelligent update orchestration platform capable of
supporting any update (apps, drivers, etc.) to be orchestrated alongside
Windows updates." As with other Windows updates, the end user or admin will
be able to benefit from intelligent scheduling, with updates deferred based
on user activity, system performance, AC power status, and other
environmental factors. For example, updates may install when the device is
idle or plugged in, to minimize disruption. All update actions will be logged
and surfaced through a unified diagnostic system, helping streamline
troubleshooting. Microsoft says the platform will support MSIX/APPX apps, as
well as Win32 apps that include custom installation logic, provided
developers integrate with the offered Windows Runtime (WinRT) APIs and
PowerShell commands. At the moment, the orchestration platform is available
only as a private preview. Developers must contact
unifiedorchestrator@service.microsoft.com to request access. Redmond is
taking a cautious approach, given the risk of update conflicts, but may
broaden availability depending on how the preview performs. Meanwhile,
Windows Backup for Organizations, first unveiled at Microsoft Ignite in
November 2024, has entered limited public preview. Redmond touts the service
as a way to back up Windows 10 and 11 devices and restore them with the same
settings in place. It's saying it'll be a big help in migrating systems to
the more recent operating systems after Windows 10 goes end of life in
October. "With Windows Backup for Organizations, get your users up and
running as quickly as possible with their familiar Windows settings already
in place," Redmond wrote in a blog post on Tuesday. "It doesn't matter if
they're experiencing a device reimage or reset."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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