No, the WSUS server itself is not registered in the WSUS as a Client.
Then, as a diagnostic measure, if not as an operational requirement -- I would start by getting the WSUS server's WUAgent to properly register with the WSUS server.
If the WSUS server is configured (via policy) as a WSUS client, and it's not registered, then I can almost guarantee you that these two conditions:
- WUAgent does not register with SSL-enabled WSUS server.
- Local MMC cannot establish a connection to SSL-enabled WSUS server.
are caused by exactly the same thing.
If the WSUS server is not configured as a WSUS client, the reason why is yet another conversation to be had, but configuring it as a client, and having it successfully register, detect, and report, will eliminate the client-side of the SSL certificate as a consideration and then we can move on to other more obscure possibilities.
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCITP:EA, MCDBA, MCSA
SolarWinds Head Geek
Microsoft MVP - Software Distribution (2005-2012)
My MVP Profile: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Lawrence.Garvin