Monthly Microsoft Windows Updates — December 2016

What: Monthly Microsoft Windows Updates
Start Time: Thursday, December 8, 2016 @ 12:00 AM
End Time: Tuesday, December 20, 2016 @ 5:00 AM
Duration: Approximately 30 minutes within the maintenance window
 
What is being done?
Whenever new Microsoft updates are released, our infrastructure and engineering team analyzes and tests each patch to review the release and determine its nature for our customers. Our goal is always to give our customers the most up-to-date and secure experience with minimal power cycles for their servers. Microsoft releases new updates the second Tuesday of each month, which is referred to as "Patch Tuesday."
 
When updates are implemented, our team will apply the patches within patch windows that are designed to be non-peak hours of business and internet traffic — for the convenience of our customers.
 
All websites in either a shared or generic environment will be updated in Group 1, from 12 to 4 a.m., the third Tuesday of every month. Dedicated Server customers in a Cloud Hosting environment will be updated within the Group they have chosen that is best for their business and their needs.

Stateside Windows update times
Group 1:
 Third Tuesday of every month.
• This Month: 12 - 4 a.m., CST, Tuesday, December 20, 2016.
• All Shared and Generic servers will update within this group.
Group 2: Second Thursday of every month.
• This Month: 12 - 4 a.m., CST, Thursday, December 8, 2016.
Group 3: Third Thursday of every month.
• This Month: 12 - 4 a.m., CST, Thursday, December 15, 2016.
Group 4: Third Saturday of every month.
• This Month: 1 - 5 a.m., CST, Saturday, December 17, 2016.
 
International Windows update times
Group 1:
 Third Tuesday of every month.
• This Month: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., CST, Tuesday, December 20, 2016.
• All AU Shared and Generic servers will update within this group.
Group 2: Third Saturday of every month.
• This Month: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., CST, Saturday, December 17, 2016.
Group 3: Second Thursday of every month.
• This Month: 6 - 10 p.m., CST, Thursday, December 8, 2016.
• All UK/NL Shared and Generic servers will update within this group.
Group 4: Third Friday of every month.
• This Month: 6 - 10 p.m., CST, Friday, December 16, 2016.
 
This process may extend outside of these dates, such as when large Windows updates are released. In the rare case that Microsoft releases a critical security patch, our team will analyze the potential severity of the issue and, in some cases, may decide to update your server immediately to protect our customers from potential attack vectors.

How will this maintenance affect me?
During software updates, patches will be installed and servers will be rebooted. The entire process typically takes less than 30 minutes; however, in some cases it may take a bit longer. During a reboot, your website will be temporarily unavailable.
 
Does this require any action on my part?
This is a general notice and does not require any action on your part.
 
Who do I contact if I have questions about this maintenance?
If you have any questions or concerns, open a support ticket and our team will be able to assist you. If you experience any issues inconsistent with this notice, please contact support for immediate assistance.