Using Rhn Bootstrap; Preparation - Red Hat NETWORK 3.7 - CLIENT Configuration Manual

Red Hat provides a tool designed to accomplish much of the reconfiguration described within this
guide in one fell swoop: RHN Bootstrap. This tool plays an integral role in the RHN Satellite Server
Installation Program, enabling generation of the bootstrap script during installation.
But RHN Proxy Server customers and those who've updated their Satellite settings need a
bootstrap tool that can be used separately. The RHN Bootstrap, invoked with the command
/usr/bin/rhn-bootstrap
Server.
If used correctly, the script this tool generates can be run from any client system to conduct the
following tasks:
Redirect client applications to the RHN Proxy or Satellite
•
Import custom GPG keys
•
Install SSL certificates
•
Register the system to RHN and particular system groups and channels with the help of activation
•
keys
Perform miscellaneous post-configuration activities, including updating packages, performing re-
•
boots, and altering RHN configuration
Customers should note, however, the inherent risks of using a script to conduct configuration. Because
security tools such as SSL certificates are being installed by the script itself, they do not yet exist on
the systems and cannot be used to process transactions. This does allow for the possibility of someone
impersonating the Satellite and transmitting bad data. This is mitigated by the fact that virtually all
Satellites and client systems operate behind customer firewalls and are restricted from outside traffic.
Registration is conducted via SSL and therefore protected.
The bootstrap
/var/www/html/pub/bootstrap/
and run on all client systems. Note that some preparation and post-generation editing is required, as
identified in the following sections. Refer to Section 5.4 RHN Bootstrap Options for the tool's
complete list of options. Finally, refer to the Appendix A Sample Bootstrap Script for an example
script.

5.1. Preparation

Since RHN Bootstrap (
infrastructure to properly configure client systems, those components must be prepared before script
generation. The following list identifies suggested measures to be taken first:
Generate activation keys to be called by the script(s). Activation keys can be used to register Red
•
Hat Enterprise Linux systems, entitle them to an RHN service level, and subscribe them to specific
channels and system groups, all in one action. Note that you must have Management entitlements
available to use an activation key, while inclusion of multiple activation keys at once requires Pro-
visioning entitlements. Generate activation keys through the Activation Keys page within the Sys-
tems category of the RHN website (either the central RHN Servers for Proxy or the fully qualified
domain name of the Satellite). Refer to the Red Hat Update Agent and RHN Website chapters of
the RHN Reference Guide for instructions on creation and use.
, serves that purpose and comes installed by default on either RHN
script
bootstrap.sh
directory of the RHN Server. From there it can be downloaded
) depends on other components of the Red Hat Network
rhn-bootstrap

Using RHN Bootstrap

is automatically
Chapter 5.
placed in the