Re: Updating rhel 3.0

[Ed Wilts <ewilts ewilts org>]

On Fri, Jul 02, 2004 at 10:26:47AM -0700, Vinod wrote:
> I have around 30 computers installed with RHEL 3.0.
> I would like to download the rhel 3.0 updates on a
> computer and then test the updates.
> 
> Then i would like to push the required updates on the
> 29 computers from the computer that i downloaded the
> update .
> 
> I do not want to use a proxy server or a satellite for
> dowloading  the updates or pushing the updates on to
> the other computers.

If you have RHN connectivity (through a proxy server, which I realize
you don't want to use), then you can use up2date with the -k argument to
search a local disk first for the package.  You'll still have to connect
to RHN to keep the package list up to date and determine which packages
need installing. You don't need Red Hat's proxy server - a simple squid
proxy will work.

If you do not have RHN connectivity, then you'll have to do it the hard
way with rpm -Fvh.  Be very paranoid about architecture-specific
packages.  You don't want to install a 386 glibc on an athlon for
example (if that's even possible these days).  Depending on how you
download the patches to your test machine, you may not be getting the
various architectures that your other 29 systems are runnning.

Also, rpm -Fvh will do no dependency checking.  If a new package is now
required that wasn't before, the freshen will fail.  I do not believe,
however, that there were recent updates that had an extra dependency.

You still need RHN subsriptions for all your other 29 systems to be in
compliance with your single agreement.

-- 
Ed Wilts, RHCE
Mounds View, MN, USA
mailto:ewilts ewilts org
Member #1, Red Hat Community Ambassador Program