Systems Management

Red Hat Satellite FAQ

General Product

For detailed technical information please refer to the Red Hat Network Satellite Product Documentation

Version History

What's new in RHN Satellite 5.4? (release November, 2010)

RHN Satellite 5.4 adds support for managing RHEL 6, enabling organizations to take advantage of improved reliability, performance, scalability and infrastructure flexibility that RHEL 6 offers. In addition, RHN Satellite 5.4 provides improvements for:

  • Compliance
  • Content Management
  • Subscription Management

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Support

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 offers many new capabilities such as:

  • Improved reliability
  • Improved performance
  • Increased scalability
  • Large RPM support

Due to some changes in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, such as using SHA256 for checksums, several architectural changes were made in RHN Satellite in order to support Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 clients. In order to deploy and manage Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 clients via RHN Satellite, customer's will need to upgrade to RHN Satellite 5.4

Compliance Improvements

RHN Satellite makes it easier and faster for IT organizations to comply with various regulations such as PCI-DSS, FISMA, and HIPAA. In order to meet various compliance initiatives, it is critical that IT organizations be able to perform audits on their systems. RHN Satellite 5.4 offers two key compliance improvements:

  • SELinux context deployment
  • Reporting

More Flexible Content Management

One of RHN Satellite's most powerful capabilities has been its ability to scale up to manage thousands of systems. In addition, RHN Satellite's management capabilities extend beyond managing just Red Hat content. RHN Satellite can also manage applications, both third-party and customer, as well as firmware updates. This allows organizations to deploy content from Red Hat and 3rd party sources, such as OEMs and ISVs using the same process in RHN Satellite. With RHN Satellite 5.4, organizations can now synchronize their RHN Satellite Server with third-party external repositories, as well as Red Hat Network. In addition, users can now stage content updates to complete within a scheduled maintenance window.

Improved Subscription Management

A key capability of RHN Satellite for many organizations is the ability to mange and track all of their Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscriptions. RHN Satellite 5.4 introduces capabilities that makes managing your RHEL subscriptions easier and more thorough including:

  • FlexGuest Entitlement Support
  • Subscription Reporting

The focus of RHN Satellite is to provide the best systems management experience for all of our Red Hat Enterprise Linux customers. RHN Satellite 5.4 continues to deliver on this mission and builds upon previous releases by offering improved capabilities around:

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 support
  • Compliance
  • Content Management
  • Subscription Management

For more information on RHN Satellite 5.4, you can download the datasheet on What's New in Satellite 5.4

For detailed technical information please refer to the Red Hat Network Satellite Product Documentation

What's new in RHN Satellite 5.3? (released September 2009)

RHN Satellite 5.3 contains many exciting new features to assist organizations in managing their Red Hat Enterprise Linux environments. These new features are grouped around three key themes:

  • Expanded Virtualization Support - With Red Hat Network Satellite, a systems administrator only needs one console to update, provision and monitor both their physical and virtual Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems. Red Hat Network Satellite includes virtual platform management capabilities that allow customers to create and entitle Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems with the ability to install the same systems profiles physically and virtually in a repeatable, centrally managed way. Red Hat Network Satellite 5.3 supports both KVM and Xen virtualization technologies. Red Hat Network Satellite abstracts virtualization technology from administrators, freeing up their time to focus on higher value-add projects.
  • Increased flexibility and faster provisioning - With the incorporation of the mature open source Cobbler technology in the product's underlying provisioning architecture, Red Hat provides increased flexibility and faster provisioning setups for Red Hat Network Satellite customers. Leveraging great functionally specific technologies, like Cobbler, gives customers powerful, feature rich tools that now plug into a comprehensive common systems management framework. This enhances the value any deployment of Red Hat Enterprise Linux delivering the feature-richness of the community development model combined with the commercial support to run mission-critical applications in the enterprise.
  • Easier management of larger, more complex environments. Customers can manage larger deployments with comparable performance to smaller deployments because of:
    • Many performance improvements "under the hood", including code optimization for faster execution when managing a larger number of systems
    • Expanded Multiple Organizations capabilities (multi-tenancy) such as content sharing between different organizations
    • Inter-Satellite synchronization that allows content to be shared between multiple Satellite servers
    • Expanded automation capabilities – Satellite's Application Programming Interface (API) has been expanded so that practically any command that can be accomplished via the web interface can now be done via the API.

Key new features.

  • RHN Satellite includes a significant update to the Multiple Organizations capabilities, which allows administrators to view, create, and manage multiple organizations across the Satellite.
    • Trust relationships between organizations are now supported, allowing Satellite Administrators to establish mutual connections between two or more organizations.
    • Organizations within a trust can share their custom content channels with each other.
    • Organization Administrators can now migrate systems from one trusted organization to another.
  • RHN Satellite now supports automated system installation via the cobbler installation server.
  • New and updated search features are now available that expand search across errata, system information, and documentation.
  • The RHN Satellite Application Programming Interface (API) has been expanded and now features several new calls, including new calls for the multiple organizations feature, Cobbler installation server, and system and errata search.
  • RHN Satellite and RHN Proxy Server now feature support for SELinux targeted policy in enforcing or permissive on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.3.0 or later.

Does Red Hat Network (RHN) come with every Red Hat subscription purchase?

Yes, included in every Red Hat subscription offering is the hosted version which is focused on managing your subscription with certified content updates.

Why should I use RHN Satellite when I already get updates from my Red Hat enterprise linux subscription?

RHN Satellite and RHN Proxy server are designed to be an extension of Red Hat Network hosted. While you can do basic administrative tasks with the Red Hat Network services included with your subscription, RHN Satellite adds high-end management, provisioning, and monitoring through its modules. This administrative functionality is often needed by organizations with large or complex Linux environments.

How does Proxy server help me manage my enterprise linux servers?

Proxy server is focused on providing a local repository of certified content for Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Proxy server extends Red Hat Network or RHN Satellite server to deliver updates, errata, and software in a highly scalable fashion while minimizing use of network bandwidth.

How can I purchase RHN Satellite or Proxy server?

Customers wishing to purchase Satellite or Proxy servers should contact their sales representative or complete the contact sales form. List price for Satellite server is $13,500 (USD) annually. Proxy server is $2,500 annually. What is included in the purchase of Proxy or Satellite server?

The purchase of the RHN Proxy server includes the following:

  • RHN Proxy entitlement
  • All necessary installation and usage documents
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS premium subscription
  • Premium level support
  • Installation support
  • Updates and upgrades, as available

The purchase of the RHN Satellite server includes the following:

  • RHN Satellite ISO for installation and entitlement
  • Everything listed above for the RHN Proxy server
  • Embedded Oracle database (optional)

Please note that all hardware must be supplied by the customer and that no physical media is provided. All ISOs and documentation are electronically provided.

What options do I have to try RHN Satellite in my environment?

We currently have a 30-day trial evaluation available. Please contact your sales representative for details.

How much do RHN Satellite modules cost?

Red Hat Network Management entitlements are priced at $96 per system annually. Red Hat Network Provisioning entitlements (which include Management functionality) are priced at $192 per system annually. Red Hat Network Monitoring entitlements are priced at $96 per system annually. Volume discounts do apply and customers should contact their sales representative or call Red Hat Sales directly at 866-273-3428 x45014.

Do I have to buy the provisioning module to get the Monitoring module? or vice-versa?

The Red Hat Network Management module is required to use either the Provisioning or Monitoring modules. Systems must be registered with the Management module before they are capable of being provisioned or monitored.

What level of service is included with RHN?

For RHN service entitlements (Update, Management, and Provisioning), customers receive the same Service Level Agreement (SLA) as they currently subscribe to for the operating system. For Proxy and Satellite servers, these offerings include a subscription to Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS premium, which ensures that customers receive Red Hat premium support.

Virtualization Support

Can RHN Satellite manage virtual instances of enterprise linux?

The Satellite management, provisioning and monitoring modules are entitled per physical server for the Intel and AMD platforms. One Satellite module subscription allows you to manage, provision or monitor all the virtual guests supported by the platform. Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server- up to 4 virtual guests, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform- unlimited virtual guests.

IBM Systems z (zSeries) platforms are entitled by virtual guests for Satellite. Please contact your Red Hat sales representative for details.

Can you run RHN Satellite as a virtual instance on Xen? on VMware?

RHN Satellite and RHN Proxy are currently supported on RHEL guests hosted by Xen, KVM and VMware hypervisors.

Installation and architecture

What type of hardware do you need to run RHN Satellite server?

A basic guideline would be a Pentium IV class processor, 2.4 Ghz or greater with 2 GB of memory. A minimum of 25 GB of storage/disk space for the base Linux installation, database, and RHN channel repository. Please see the RHN Satellite guide for the most current specifications.

Does RHN Satellite require an agent for managing machines?

Yes. Managed machines will need the Red Hat Update Agent installed to connect to the Satellite or Proxy server. The Update Agent is provided by default with each Enterprise Linux installation.

Are there any high availability options for RHN Satellite?

For Satellite servers using a stand-alone database, you can create a redundant Satellite that can be operated as active or on stand-by. For Satellite servers with an embedded database, there is a cloning option to create an offline spare but no true high availability option. Satellite clients can also be configured for high availability and will contact a backup RHN Satellite server if necessary.

What kind of database is required to run Satellite server in my environment?

RHN Satellite server utilizes an embedded Oracle database. Customers may use their own Oracle database instance, or they can use the embedded database that is available with the subscription (at no additional charge).

Red Hat recommends that if you plan on scaling your environment to greater than 2,000 systems--or if you intend to run a high availability Satellite--that you run your own independent Oracle instance. For non-embedded deployments, please see the Satellite install guide for a list of supported Oracle databases.

Are there installation and consulting services available for Satellite server?

Yes, Red Hat Global Professional Services has a one-week package specifically for Satellite customers. Please contact Red Hat sales for more information: 866-273-3428 x45104.

What is the scalability of the RHN Satellite?

RHN currently scales to over ten thousand managed systems. This is achieved through the use of a Satellite server and Proxy servers at each remote location and for every two thousand managed systems. Red Hat continues to make changes that greatly enhance the scalability of the RHN solution.

Interoperability and CustomizatIon

Does RHN Satellite manage products such as SuSe, Solaris, or Microsoft Windows?

While RHN Satellite is focused on management of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux platform, it does have legacy support for Solaris to manage migrations. SUSE and Windows management is not supported.

Does RHN Satellite work with other management products such as HP® Openview, IBM® Tivoli or BMC® Patrol?

We currently have a partnership with BMC and their patch management product includes support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux. We currently do not have any formal integration tools with management vendors such as HP or Tivoli, but we are working towards improving the interoperability of RHN Satellite with third-party vendor products.

Does Red Hat network have an apI access layer?

The RHN API is based on XML-RPC, which allows distinct pieces of software on disparate systems to make remote procedure calls using XML over HTTP.

Can Red Hat network manage third-party or custom content?

Yes, RHN is capable of allowing you to provision, manage, and update using third-party and custom content. To do this, customers must be using Proxy and/or Satellite architecture, and the content must be packaged in RPM format consistent with the RPM version(s) that Red Hat Network uses. To facilitate this process, RHN provides package management tools.

Security ImplicatIons

My environment will not allow me to have a network connection from my RHN Satellite back to Red Hat network. What other options do I have?

Red Hat Network Satellite is capable of being run in a detached/secure mode where content updates are loaded in using physical media. Channel content ISO's can be downloaded from Red Hat Network and are required to keep certified content up-to-date. Many organizations that have very tight security requirements utilize the detached Satellite configuration.

How is security implemented between RHN Satellite server and its managed nodes?

From a features perspective, Red Hat Network offers administrators the ability to implement a full audit trail of all activities taken through Red Hat Network, as well as assign policies and permissions for simple role-based administration.

From the network side, Red Hat Network ensures safe and secure communications. The communication method between client and server is always client-initiated. Communications between RHN Satellite and clients use SSL and GPG encryption.