Windows Firewall and Windows Update on Your Cloud Server

Keeping Windows Firewall configured correctly and Windows Update current are two of the simplest ways to keep your Windows Cloud Server secure.

Managing Windows Firewall

Opening Firewall settings

Search for Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security in the Start menu.

Allowing a port or application

Click Inbound Rules, then New Rule, and follow the wizard to allow a specific port (such as 80 or 443 for a website) or a specific program.

Be careful not to close off RDP access (port 3389) — this is how you connect to the server in the first place.

Managing Windows Update

Checking for updates

Search for Windows Update in the Start menu and click Check for updates.

Scheduling updates

Under Advanced options, you can set active hours so updates don't restart your server during business hours, and choose whether updates install automatically.

We recommend keeping automatic updates on for security patches, and scheduling a maintenance window if your server runs anything sensitive to unexpected restarts.