Software Channels - Red Hat NETWORK 4.0.5 Reference Manual

Chapter 6. Red Hat Network Website 121

6.6.1. Software Channels

The Software Channels page is the first to appear in the Channels category. A software
channel is a list of Red Hat Enterprise Linux packages grouped by use. Channels are used
to choose packages to be installed on a system.
There are two types of software channels: base channels and child channels. A base chan-
nel consists of a list of packages based on a specific architecture and Red Hat Enterprise
Linux release. For example, all of the packages in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 for the x86
architecture make up a base channel. The list of packages in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1
for the Itanium architecture make up a different base channel. A child channel is a channel
associated with a base channel that contains extra packages. For instance, an organization
can create a child channel associated with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 for the x86 ar-
chitecture that contains extra packages needed only for the organization, such as a custom
engineering application.
A system must be subscribed to one base channel only. This base channel is assigned
automatically during registration based upon the Red Hat Enterprise Linux release and
system architecture selected. In the case of public free channels, the action will succeed.
In the case of paid base channels, this action will fail if an associated entitlement doesn't
exist.
A system can be subscribed to multiple child channels of its base channel. Only packages
included in a system's subscribed channels can be installed or updated on that system.
Further, RHN Satellite Server and RHN Proxy Server customers have channel management
authority. This authority gives them the ability to create and manage their own custom
channels. Refer to the RHN Channel Management Guide for details.
Channels can be further broken down by their relevance to your systems. Two such lists
emerge: Relevant and All.
6.6.1.1. Relevant Channels
As shown in Figure 6-10, the Relevant Channels page is shown by default when you
click Software Channels in the left navigation bar. It displays a list of channels
now associated with your systems. Links within this list go to different tabs of the
Software Channel Details page. Clicking on a channel name takes you to the Details
tab. Clicking on the number of packages takes you to the Packages tab. Clicking on
the number of systems number takes you to the Subscribed Systems tab. Refer to
Section 6.6.1.4 Software Channel Details for details.