Client Applications; Deploying The Latest Red Hat Network Client Rpms - Red Hat NETWORK SATELLITE 5.2 - CLIENT Configuration Manual

Chapter 2.

Client Applications

In order to utilize most enterprise-class features of Red Hat Network, such as registering with a RHN
Satellite, configuration of the latest client applications is required. Obtaining these applications before
the client has registered with Red Hat Network can be difficult. This paradox is especially problematic
for customers migrating large numbers of older systems to Red Hat Network. This chapter identifies
techniques to resolve this dilemma.
Important
Red Hat strongly recommends that clients connected to a RHN Proxy Server or RHN
Satellite Server be running the latest update of Red Hat Enterprise Linux to ensure
proper connectivity.
Additionally, if client firewalls are configured, ports 80 and 443 should be open for
proper functionality with Red Hat Network.

2.1. Deploying the Latest Red Hat Network Client RPMs

Red Hat Update Agent (up2date) and Red Hat Network Registration Client (rhn_register)
are prerequisites for using much of Red Hat Network's enterprise functionality. It is crucial to install
them on client systems before attempting to use RHN Proxy Server or RHN Satellite Server in your
environment.
There are several sensible approaches to accomplish this update of the RHN client software. One of
which involves storing the RPMs in a location that is accessible by all client systems and deploying
the packages with the simplest command possible. In nearly all cases, a manual deployment of
up2date and rhn_register (if RHEL 2.1) do not need to be performed. Those client tools should
have no issues connecting to your RHN Satellite or Proxy environment. These discussion below
assumes that the "out of box" up2date and rhn_register are not the latest and do not work for
your environment.
Remember, only systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 must use the Red Hat Network
Registration Client to register with RHN. Systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 and later can
use the registration functionality built into the Red Hat Update Agent.
This document presumes that the customer has installed at least one RHN Satellite Server and/
or RHN Proxy Server on their network. The example below demonstrates a simple approach of
deploying up2date and rhn_register for the first time by an administrator assuming the machines
don't already have a working RHN. The administrator has populated the /var/www/html/pub/
directory with a copy of the up2date and rhn_register (for RHEL 2.1 systems) RPMs that his
client systems need, and then has simply deployed those RPMs onto his client systems with a simple
rpm -Uvh command. Run from a client, this command installs the RPMs to that client, assuming the
domain name, paths, and RPM versions are correct:
rpm -Uvh \ http://your_proxy_or_sat.your_domain.com/
pub/rhn_register-2.9.12-1.2.1AS.i386.rpm \ http://
your_proxy_or_sat.your_domain.com/pub/rhn_register-
gnome-2.9.12-1.2.1AS.i386.rpm \ http://your_proxy_or_sat.your_domain.com/
pub/up2date-2.9.14-1.2.1AS.i386.rpm \ http://
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