Microsoft is advising IT managers who use WSUS to switch to Microsoft’s alternatives, like Windows Autopatch, Microsoft Intune, and Azure Update Manager. These all happen to run in the cloud, giving up that control WSUS provided by running locally, and they’re not free either – they’re subscription services, of course. I mean, technically WSUS isn’t free either as it’s part of Windows Server, but these cloud services come on top of the cost of Windows Server itself.

Nobody escapes the relentless march of subscription costs.

https://www.osnews.com/story/140796/microsoft-deprecates-windows-server-update-services-suggests-cloud-services-instead/