This tool continues to interest me for one main reason, the ability to patch offline virtual machines. That feature is something that has come up in a couple of projects recently. I look forward to this technology evolving into a final product. The latest Beta version of VMST is out and available here.

If you’ve used version 2.1, you know that it offers free, tested guidance and automated tools that let you safely service offline virtual machines in your SCVMM library. VMST 3.0 builds on this functionality, adding powerful new features designed to streamline the process of keeping your offline virtual machines, templates and VHDs up-to-date with the latest operating system and application updates, without introducing vulnerabilities into your IT infrastructure.  VMST 3.0 helps you effectively manage the workflow of updating your offline virtual machines according to their individual needs. One feature that will not be included in this beta refresh is the servicing of Hyper-V host failover clusters.

Using new features in VMST 3.0, customers can now service:

• Offline virtual machines in a SCVMM library.
• Stopped and saved state virtual machines on a host.
• Virtual machine templates.
• Offline virtual hard disks in a SCVMM library by injecting update packages.

VMST 3.0 works seamlessly with other Microsoft technologies.

VMST 3.0 is designed to work with Microsoft® System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 or SCVMM 2008 R2, and with the following technologies:

• Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 SP1 or WSUS 3.0 SP2.
• System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 SP1, SCCM 2007 R2, or SCCM 2007 SP2.
• VMST 3.0 also provides the option to manually copy updates to service offline VHDs.
• The tool works with Windows Task Scheduler to enable scheduling the servicing job.