Microsoft is set to make Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) available as an update rollup for Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) from August 25.

The move means that IT departments using WSUS to control deployment of updates across their network need to be ready ahead of this date.

Microsoft announced the move in a recent posting on its IEBlog site, explaining that organisations which have configured WSUS to auto-approve update rollup packages will have IE8 automatically installed onto all compatible systems unless they take action to forestall this.

IE8 is generally regarded as a great improvement over earlier releases of the browser, offering better security and greater compliance with published web standards. It also comes with a slew of new group policy settings to allow administrators to control settings and behaviour via Active Directory.

However, it is possible that IE8 may prove incompatible with some web-based enterprise applications, or that IT departments may not yet be ready to roll out the new browser.

Microsoft's IEBlog site has instructions for companies that use WSUS, but who wish to have control over when IE8 gets deployed on their network.

IE8 is compatible with Windows XP systems with Service Pack 2, XP Professional x64 Edition, 32bit and 64bit versions of Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008.

02 Jul 2009