Enabling a workstation for client updates
Cirros delivers Windows client updates through three release rings — Beta, Early Adopter and the standard rollout. You choose which of your workstations sit in each ring, so you can pilot a new client on a few machines before it reaches everyone.
Applies to Cirros Client 1.4. Managed from the Cirros Dashboard.
Cirros assigns the builds
Cirros assigns each client build to specific customers and sets which version each ring runs (managed under Releases). You decide which of your machines are in which ring; Cirros decides which build the ring delivers. If a build hasn’t been assigned to your organisation yet, an enabled workstation simply stays on its current version until it has.
The three rings
| Ring | What it’s for | Typical machines |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | Gets new client releases first, while they’re still being trialled. | A few pilot machines. |
| Early Adopter | Wider validation, once Beta looks good. | A larger test group. |
| Standard rollout | The validated release, delivered to everyone else in the normal staged rollout. | Your broad fleet. |
Enable a workstation
Cirros Dashboard › Workstations
- In the left-hand navigation, open Workstations.
- Find the machine in the list (sort or filter by name, or by Version), then right-click it (or double-click it) and choose Edit item.
- In the Edit panel, set its ring:
- Tick Is Beta to put it in the beta ring — it receives new client releases first.
- Tick Is Early Adopter for the early-adopter ring — wider testing, after Beta.
- Leave both unticked for the standard rollout — the machine updates with everyone else.
- Click Update to save. Repeat for each machine you want in that ring.
Recommended. Flag a few machines as Is Beta to pilot a new client, promote them to Is Early Adopter for wider testing, then let the standard rollout reach the rest of your fleet.
Important: Windows Fast Startup. Restart properly for the update to apply. On PCs using Windows Fast Startup, choosing “Shut down” only hibernates the machine rather than fully stopping it — so a pending client update may not install. After enabling a workstation on a ring (or to force a waiting update through), use Restart, or fully shut down and power the machine back on, rather than relying on a Fast-Startup shutdown. Cirros 1.4 handles Fast Startup more reliably, but a proper restart is the sure way to apply an update.
Check the update landed
Cirros Dashboard › Workstations
After the machine has restarted and checked in, the Workstations list shows its new Version and Last Heartbeat. Sort or filter by Version to confirm your Beta / Early-Adopter machines have moved to the new build. If a machine hasn’t updated, check its Last Heartbeat (is it online?) and that it’s been restarted as above.
Good to know
- Permissions. Editing a workstation’s ring needs the Edit Workstations permission. Give staff who only need to watch progress a read-only role instead.
- The pace of the standard rollout (how many machines update per cycle, and when) is set separately by whoever manages Releases — via Auto Update Percentage, Interval and Day on Manage Windows Releases. Enabling a workstation on Beta or Early Adopter gets it the new build ahead of that standard rollout.