how to update the rhel boxes ?

[Maaz]

OS: rhel 3 and 4
Never have updated the redhat boxes from redhat network.
Please guide me how to update the servers from Red Hat ? so that any pathces/updates and kernel updates will be automatically installed.

and

why why to install yum on a rhel box if you already have up2date for RHEL4?

Regards
Maaz

[~sesh · Accepted solution]

Its true that yum can be used to update RHEL box. However, it is also a software installation tool, like apt-get in Debian.

The up2date tool is the one that allows you only to update the components. To perform an upgrade / update, you need to have a subscription with RedHat Networks.

Generally, any updates released by RedHat will be indicated next to the time & volume control if you are using the GUI. up2date can also be run from the command prompt.

Unfortunately, complete information about using the update agent (up2date) is very big to be posted, so I'm giving you a link to refer:
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/satellite/Red_Hat_Network_Satellite-5.0.0/html/Reference_Guide/ch-up2date.html

Hope this helps!

[skt_skt]

only thing you have to rember is to include the kerenel packages in the skip list

[root@tnela29n rhn]# grep -i skip /etc/sysconfig/rhn/up2date|grep -i kernel
removeSkipList=kernel*;
pkgSkipList=kernel*;


then install(-rpm -ivh) the kernel pacakges which enable us to switch back to old kernel incase any trouble with the new one.This can be done updaing the /etc/grub.conf .. rpm isntalltion update the /etc/grub.conf with the newer kernel's entries

â ¢ While performing the up2date all previously released errata relevant to the system will get applied.

â ¢ We always â installâ the new kernel package. But kernel-utils and kernel-headers/kernel-source/kernel-devel are always upgraded.

â ¢ For Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions 2.1 the kernel-source/kernel-headers package need to be updated if there are third party modules need to be compiled like EMCâ s power path and Emulexâ s lpfc


â ¢ For Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions 3 the kernel-source package need to be updated if there are third party modules need to be compiled like EMCâ s power path and Emulexâ s lpfc

â ¢ Unlike Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions 2.1 and 3, there is no kernel-source package in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 distribution. In Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, The kernel-devel package includes the kernel headers files and you no longer require the kernel source package to build a third party kernel module

[Vitaly Karasik_1]

Maaz,

If you have RH support contract for your RHEL boxes, up2date is the best and the only officially supported way for update your boxes.

Using up2date is pretty straightforward - see RH docs.

I strongly suggest to test upfate process on some non-production server and run QC tests after update in order to be sure that update will not break your applications and so on.

[Maaz]

Thanks All,
Vitaly Karasik
> run QC tests after update in order to be sure..
Is there any QC test utility available or you are talking about manuall testing ?

Regards

[Vitaly Karasik_1]

I mean - test your application, if you use some proprietary software, written in your company.
In this case you should already have some test plan and test tools.

If you use just standart applications like apache/mysql/tomcat, it should work after update.

[Maaz]

thanks all