Custom Channel And Package Management; Channel Management Privileges; Manage Software Channels - Red Hat NETWORK 3.7 - CHANNEL MANAGEMENTT GUIDE Manual

Custom Channel and Package Management

Custom channels allow administrators to use the Red Hat Network infrastructure to deploy packages
built and maintained by their organizations. All channel and package management activities will take
place in the Channels tab of the RHN website. The instructions here should be used in conjunction
with the RHN website chapter of the RHN Reference Guide.
Because of the potential problems that may arise from deploying untested packages throughout your
production environment, Red Hat strongly recommends creating beta channels covering select sys-
tems that can be used for staging. For instance, if you have a system group of Web servers that will
receive a set of custom packages, we suggest using your channel management capabilities to install
the packages on a non-critical subset of representative systems first. These temporary channels can
then be deleted using the steps described in Section 4.8 Deleting Software Channels.

4.1. Channel Management Privileges

In order to perform any channel management tasks, users must have obtained the proper permissions.
These permissions can be modified through the Red Hat Network website. Permissions are assigned
to users by Organization Administrators. Channel Administrator privileges are assigned as follows:
1. Log into the Red Hat Network website as an Organization Administrator.
2. On the top navigation bar, click the Users tab and then click the name of the user who will be
performing channel management functions.
3. On the User Details page, scroll down to the Roles section and select the checkbox labeled
Channel Administrator. Then click Update at the bottom of the page. Note that Organization
Administrators are automatically granted channel administration privileges.
4. Have the user log into the Red Hat Network website, click the Channels tab on the top naviga-
tion bar, and ensure the Manage Software Channels button appears in the corresponding left
navigation bar.

4.2. Manage Software Channels

In addition to the buttons and pages available to standard RHN Management-level users, RHN Satel-
lite Server and RHN Proxy Server customers also have access to Manage Software Channels in
the left navigation bar. This button opens the Software Channel Management interface, where all
custom software channel management work occurs.
Warning
Customers using both RHN Proxy Server and RHN Satellite Server should be managing custom
channels and packages only on the Satellite, since the Proxies should be receiving updates directly
from it. Managing packages and channels on a Proxy in this combined configuration risks putting
your servers out-of-sync.
Clicking links within the Software Channel Management list takes you to different tabs of the Man-
aged Software Channel Details page. Clicking a channel name opens the Details tab, while clicking
its number of packages opens the List/Remove subtab of the Packages tab. Refer to Section 4.3
Managed Software Channel Details for a full explanation of these areas.
Chapter 4.