Windows patching on SharePoint servers

Question

Often when Windows patching is done on SharePoint servers, i see even SharePoint security patches get installed on it. Post that my central admin page shows "Patching required".

Does the SharePoint patching should always be followed by windows OS patching?

Answer 1

It's really the other way around. First you update Windows Server (both the SQL Server and Windows Server which hosts SharePoint) using Windows Updates. When this is done, update SharePoint, starting with application servers. Make sure the PSCONFIG runs successfully before moving on to the next server.

See: Tips for Patching SharePoint 2013

Answer 2

as it is already answered, i want to add two cents. Please make sure following things.

• Dont enabled automatic updates on the SharePoint, if you do then make sure SharePoint updates unchecked from it. SharePoint required special steps in order to install the SP patches. If we dont aware that windows update installed SharePoint patches as well and we never run the config wizard, couple of days later we will see unexpected errors in the farm.
• Installation of SharePoint updates required a down time as it will reset IIS on farm several times unless you have HA farms.
• We have a process in place, Disabled the windows auto update and install windows update manually.
• Same thing with SharePoint updates, we schedule a downtime and install it Manually. We have to run the SharePoint Config wizard on the every server in the farm after SharePoint updates installed.