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Chapter 1.
Introduction
1.1. Red Hat Network
Red Hat Network (RHN) is the environment for system-level support and management of Red
Hat systems and networks of systems. Red Hat Network brings together the tools, services, and
information repositories needed to maximize the reliability, security, and performance of their systems.
To use RHN, system administrators register the software and hardware profiles, known as System
Profiles, of their client systems with Red Hat Network. When a client system requests package
updates, only the applicable packages for the client are returned (based upon the software profile
stored on the RHN Servers).
Advantages of using Red Hat Network include:
• Scalability — with Red Hat Network, a single system administrator can set up and maintain
hundreds or thousands of Red Hat systems more easily, accurately, and quickly than they could
maintain a single system without Red Hat Network.
• Standard Protocols — standard protocols are used to maintain security and increase capability. For
example, XML-RPC gives Red Hat Network the ability to do much more than merely download files.
• Security — all communication between registered systems and Red Hat Network takes place over
secure Internet connections.
• View Errata Alerts — easily view Errata Alerts for all your client systems through one website.
• Scheduled Actions — use the website to schedule actions, including Errata Updates, package
installs, and software profile updates.
• Simplification — maintaining Red Hat systems becomes a simple, automated process.
1.2. RHN Proxy Server
An RHN Proxy Server is a package-caching mechanism that reduces the bandwidth requirements
for RHN and enables custom package deployment. Proxy customers cache RPMs, such as Errata
Updates from Red Hat or custom RPMs generated by their organization, on an internal, centrally-
located server. Client systems then receive these updates from the Proxy rather than by accessing the
Internet individually.
Although the packages are served by the Proxy, clients' System Profiles and user information are
stored on the secure, central RHN Servers
Proxy acts as a go-between for client systems and Red Hat Network (or an RHN Satellite Server).
Only the package files are stored on the RHN Proxy Server. Every transaction is authenticated, and
the Red Hat Update Agent checks the GPG signature of each package retrieved from the local RHN
Proxy Server.
In addition to storing official Red Hat packages, the RHN Proxy Server can be configured to deliver an
organization's own custom packages from private RHN channels, using the RHN Package Manager.
For instance, an organization could develop its own software, package it in an RPM, sign it with its
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Throughout this document, "RHN" may refer to either RHN's Hosted site (http://rhn.redhat.com) or an RHN Satellite Server.
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, which also serve the RHN website (rhn.redhat.com). The
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