Red Hat NETWORK 3.5 - MANAGEMENT Reference Manual page 43

Chapter 2. Red Hat Update Agent
Note
Systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 need version 2.9.3-1 or higher of the
package. It is highly recommended you obtain the latest version before using activation keys.
Before using an activation key, you must first generate one through the RHN website. Refer to Section
4.4.7 Activation Keys for precise steps.
To use an activation key, as root from a shell prompt on the system to be registered, run the
command followed by the key. For example:
rhnreg_ks --activationkey=7202f3b7d218cf59b764f9f6e9fa281b
Systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 will use the
, like so:
--activationkey
rhnreg_ks --serialnumber=7202f3b7d218cf59b764f9f6e9fa281b
This command performs all the actions of the Red Hat Network Registration Client and the regis-
tration function of the Red Hat Update Agent. Do not run either of these applications for registration
after running
rhnreg_ks
A System Profile, including software and hardware information, is created for the system and sent
to the RHN Servers along with the unique activation key. The system is registered with RHN under
the account used to generate the key, entitled to an RHN service offering, and subscribed to the RHN
channels and system groups selected during key generation. The system will not be subscribed to
channels that contain packages not suitable for the system. For example, a Red Hat Enterprise Linux
2.1 system cannot be subscribed to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 channel.
The unique Digital
/etc/sysconfig/rhn/systemid
When using activation keys to assign channels, a couple of rules should be kept in mind:
A key may specify either zero or one base channel. If specified, it must be a custom base channel.
•
If not, the base channel corresponding to the system's Red Hat distribution will be chosen. For
instance, you may not take a Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 system and subscribe it to the Red Hat
Enterprise Linux 3 channel.
A key may specify any number of child channels. For each child channel, subscription is attempted.
•
If the child channel matches the system's base channel, subscription succeeds. If it does not, the
subscription fails silently. Refer to Section 4.6 Channels for more information.
Keys may be modified by any user with the role of Activation Key Administrator or Organization
•
Administrator (or both). These permissions are set through the Users tab of the RHN website. Refer
to Section 4.8 Users for details.
Systems registered by activation keys are tied to the organization or overall account in which the
•
key was created, not the key itself. After registration, a key can be safely deleted without any effect
on the systems it was used to register.
.
Certificate for the
.
--serialnumber
system is generated
35
rhn_register
rhnreg_ks
instead of
on the system in