Obtaining Updates - Red Hat NETWORK SATELLITE 5.1.1 Reference Manual

Chapter 9. UNIX Support Guide
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. Use rhnreg_ks along with the --activationkey option to register the client with the Satellite.
The string of characters that make up the key may be copied directly from the Activation Keys list
on the website. The resulting command will look something like the following:
rhnreg_ks --activationkey=b25fef0966659314ef9156786bd9f3af
6. Go back to the website, click the name of the activation key, and ensure the new system appears
within the Activated Systems tab.

9.4.2. Obtaining Updates

Package updates in UNIX are handled much differently than in Linux. For instance, Solaris relies on
Patch Clusters to update multiple packages at once, while Red Hat operating systems use Errata
Updates to associate upgrades with specific packages. In addition, Solaris uses answer files to
automate interactive package installations, something Linux doesn't understand, while Red Hat offers
the concept of source packages. For this reason, this section seeks to highlight differences in using
RHN tools on UNIX systems. (Note: RHN does not support Solaris answer files in the current release;
such support is planned for future releases.)
Despite inherent differences, such as the lack of Errata, the channel and package management
interfaces within the RHN website on the Satellite work largely the same for UNIX systems. All
software channels designed to serve UNIX variants can be constructed almost exactly as the custom
channels described in the RHN Channel Management Guide. The most significant difference is the
architecture. When creating a UNIX software channel, ensure you select the base channel architecture
appropriate for the systems to be served.
Furthermore, Red Hat recommends you break down your packages into base and child channels
depending on their nature. For example, on Solaris, installation packages should go in the Solaris
base channel, while patches and Patch Clusters should go in a child channel of the Solaris base
channel. Extra installation packages can go in a separate Extras child channel.
RHN treats patches similarly to packages; they are listed and installed in the same way and with the
same interface as normal packages. Patches are 'numbered' by Solaris, and will have names like
"patch-solaris-108434". The version of a Solaris patch is extracted from the original Solaris metadata,
and the release is always 1.
Patch Clusters are bundles of patches that are installed as a unit. RHN keeps track of the last time
that a Patch Cluster was installed successfully on a system. However, Patch Clusters are not tracked
on the client as installed entities so they do not appear in the installed packages or patches list. Patch
Cluster names look like "patch-cluster-solaris-7_Recommended". The version is a datestring, such as
"20040206", the release is always 1 and the epoch is always 0.
9.4.2.1. Uploading Packages to the Satellite
RHN does not provide UNIX content; any Solaris packages, patches or Patch Clusters must be
uploaded to the Satellite in a format that it understands from a client system. That package can
then be managed and distributed to other systems. RHN created solaris2mpm to translate Solaris
packages, patches, and patch clusters to a format that the Satellite can understand.
184