Here is a chart showing the patching cadence of the different rings.
| Deployment ring | Servicing channel | Deferral for feature updates | Deferral for quality updates | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preview | Windows Insider Program | None | None | A few machines to evaluate early builds prior to their arrival to the semi-annual channel |
| Targeted | Semi-annual channel (Targeted) | None | None | Select devices across various teams used to evaluate the major release prior to broad deployment |
| Broad | Semi-annual channel | 120 days | 7-14 days | Broadly deployed to most of the organization and monitored for feedback Pause updates if there are critical issues |
| Critical | Semi-annual channel | 180 days | 30 days | Devices that are critical and will only receive updates once they’ve been vetted for a period of time by the majority of the organization |