Registration And Updates; Registering Systems; Obtaining Updates - Red Hat NETWORK 4.0.5 Reference Manual

Chapter 8. UNIX Support Guide

8.4. Registration and Updates

Now that you have installed RHN-specific packages, implemented SSL, and reconfigured
your client systems to connect to the RHN Satellite Server, you are ready to begin register-
ing systems and obtaining updates.

8.4.1. Registering Systems

This section describes the RHN registration process for UNIX systems. You must use the
to accomplish this; the use of activation keys for registering your systems is
rhnreg_ks
optional. These keys allow you to predetermine settings within RHN, such as base channels
and system groups, and to apply those automatically to systems during their registration.
Since activation key generation and use is covered extensively in other guides, this sec-
tion focuses on differences when applying them to UNIX variants. Refer to the Activation
Keys and Registering with Activation Keys sections of the RHN Reference Guide for full
descriptions of this process.
Remember your system will connect to the Satellite and not the central
RHN Servers, assuming
Section 8.3.3 Configuring the clients. To register UNIX systems with your RHN Satellite
Server, accomplish the following tasks in this order:
1. Log into the Satellite's version of the RHN website and click the Systems tab in the
top navigation bar followed by Activation Keys in the left navigation bar. Then click
the create new key link at the top-right corner of the page.
2. When creating the activation key on the following page, ensure you select a base
channel corresponding to your particular UNIX variant (such as Solaris) and an Man-
agement entitlement level.
3. After creating the key, click its name in the Activation Keys list to enhance its RHN
settings by associating software and configuration channels and system groups.
4. Open a terminal on the client system to be registered and switch user to root.
5. Enter the activation key command (
string, which may be copied directly from the Activation Keys list in the website.
The command will look like:
rhnreg_ks --activationkey=25ad3d099e69ff1a3c6dc60d7479c0f6
6. Go back to the website, click the name of the activation key, and ensure the new
system appears within the Activated Systems tab.

8.4.2. Obtaining Updates

Package updates in UNIX are handled much differently than in Linux. For instance, So-
laris relies upon Patch Clusters to update multiple packages at once, while Red Hat operat-
you made the
rhnreg_ks
configuration changes
) followed by the key character
179
required in