Steven Bink, a Windows 2000+XP MCSE and MVP from Amsterdam, The Netherlands writes...
Microsoft moved its update server to
linux according to this report, and so changed IP to AKAMAI one of the largest hosting companies (which MS invested in too)
http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph?...dowsupdate.com
But maybe it is a linux device in front if the server to protect the server from attack.