Q: Why are we doing this, and what benefits are there from restarting?

A: Our focus is to lower the amount of security vulnerabilities by making sure any software patches are deployed and updated on all workstations. Scheduled restarts accomplish this by forcing the computer to check in with our patch deployment software regularly. Regularly restarting your workstation will also help with the day-to-day performance, such as speed and load times.

 

Q: Will the meeting room devices restart at 11:30 AM as well?

A: No, meeting room devices and scheduling panels are not included in the restart job. The scheduled restarts only apply to Windows computers and not any other WFAA equipment, including MacBooks and iPhones, at this time. 

 

Q: Why does this need to be done so frequently and in the middle of the workday?

A: Currently our patch deployment software is scheduled to send updates twice a week. We are coordinating the restart schedule to be completed after the patches have been deployed. The reason this takes place in the middle of the work day is to ensure that restarts are applied when the vast majority of workstations are online and that IT is available for any immediate issues that may occur.

 

Q: What if I already restarted today? Will I have to restart a second/third time?

A: No, unlike our previous automated restarts, if you have restarted or shut down
your laptop within 36 hours prior to each of these scheduled times, your laptop will not be
restarted automatically.

 

Q: What if I'm scheduled into a meeting or to present during the restart time?

A: If this scenario arises, we suggest taking advantage of a deferment window that is offered on the scheduled restart job. This will allow you to extend your working session for additional time.  You may also restart within the 36 hour window before the restart job which will cause the job to skip you as you have satisfied the restart requirement.

 

Q: What if my computer is 'off' during the restart time?

A: The nature of our work sometimes has us away, working off of our phones or tablets for extended periods. This will result in computers being offline during the scheduled restart times on occasion. We've designed the restarts to be as flexible as possible given the following:

• Computer was off before the 11:30 AM restart job began - Powering up your machine after the job would have run that day would see no impact as the fresh boot up counts as a restart and the jobs do not queue while in a powered off state.

• Computer was powered off after receiving the 11:30 AM restart job - In the event that the restart job pop-up appears in the bottom right corner of your screen, signifying that your computer has received the restart command. At this time, if you defer/ignore the pop-up, then "Shutdown" your workstation this will satisfy the restart job criteria and you will not be prompted again to restart.

Q: What happens if I'm traveling?

A: Travel is a large part of many departments within the organization so below are different travel scenarios you might find yourself in with your computer during the time of the restart job:

• Computer stowed away in a travel bag - see "What if my computer is 'off' during the restart time?"
• Computer in airplane mode or not connected to an internet source while traveling - Because this function lives on the local machine the job will still run according to the local time of the machine.  Network connectivity is not needed for this job to run.
• Computer is connected to a travel network such as a Wi-Fi hotspot, airplane/train Wi-Fi, or the internet provided by a hotel or conference center - This is effectively the same as being online at home or in the office. Your computer will receive the restart job at the scheduled 11:30 AM time

Q: What time zone does the restart job follow?

A: The restart job will follow the local workstation's time. (i.e. If you are on the East Coast, and the restart job is set for 11:30 AM, it will happen at 11:30 AM EST.)

Q: How long do restarts take?

A: A typical restart for an updated workstation should take between 30-45 seconds. This time can be increased depending on what updates/patches are in the queue for your specific workstation based on the most recent restart time.

Q: What happens if I miss the exclusion request time for the upcoming restart day?

A: If an exclusion request is not made by the 4:30 PM CST deadline of the previous day, your computer will automatically be included in the pending restart job. Due to the nature of how the restart job is built and deployed, there are limitations to scheduling with last-minute changes.

 

Q: What is a restart deferment and what does it do?

A: There are four deferral options that allow you to delay the restart: 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or 4 hours. You may select only one deferral per scheduled restart. After the deferral period, the restart will occur.

Q: What if I shutdown my computer, does that count as a restart?

A: Yes.  A full shut down/power off and a fresh boot up will count the same as a restart.

 

For additional information, please see the WFAA Connect post regarding scheduled restarts.