patch

[navin]

Can you please let me know if swa utility is the new one. Also is there a difference between applying a patch bundles to the system using swinstall or swa. I have heard using patch bundles will not update the firmware patching.is that true.appreciate it

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Navin:

SWA has been around for a while. If you don't have it, fetch and install it from:

www.hp.com/go/swa

The Software Assistant (SWA) uses the SD toolset ('swcopy') to build and apply patch bundles. It performs all the work of downloading and copying patches into a single depot. *You* choose when to install the depot just as you would expect, using 'swinstall'.

There is some good documentation here:
http://docs.hp.com/en/5992-3930/index.html

Once installed, a template to begin your configuration is available as:

# /etc/opt/swa/swa.conf.template

I begin with a '.swa.conf' file that looks like this:

user_dir = /var/opt/swa/.swa
analyzers = QPK CRIT PCW SEC
catalog_max_age = 0
inventory_max_age = 0
html_report = ~/.swa/report/swa_report.html
allow_existing_depot = false

...This allows me to report (and later collect) the Quality Packs, critical patches, patches with warnings and security-relatated information for a server.

I basically do:

# swa clean all -v

...to cleanup from previous runs...

# swa report

...which builds '.swa/report/swa_report.html' --- the reported analysis

# swa get -v -t /patches/swdepot

...which fetches the QPK patch bundles, replacement patches *and* any other patches as performed by the ' swa report ' above. The downloaded software is cached in '/var/opt/swa/cache'. A log 'var/opt/swa/swa.log' is created. After the software is downloaded, it is copied to the 'swdepot' depot and registered. My '/patches' directory is a mounted filesystem of about 4GB.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Patrick Wallek]

>>Can you please let me know if swa utility is the new one

Is the new one what?

>>Also is there a difference between applying a patch bundles to the system using swinstall or swa.

SWA does not apply patch bundles. It can recommend and download the patches, but you still apply patches with swinstall.

>>I have heard using patch bundles will not update the firmware patching.

It depends. I have seen some firmware patches in patch bundles. I guess it depends on which firmware you are talking about.

[navin]

But what is the difference between the normal swinstall " patching" vs swinstall using SWA
Thanks Much

[Patrick Wallek]

>>But what is the difference between the normal swinstall " patching" vs swinstall using SWA

I guess I don't understand what your question is.

SWA DOES NOT install any patches.

SWA can gather information from your servers, recommends patches to install, and download those patches from HP.

To actually install the patches you must run 'swinstall' on the server you want the patches to be installed on.

[Dennis Handly]

>But what is the difference between the normal swinstall "patching" vs swinstall using SWA

Your brain is doing the sweating vs using SWA. :-)

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi (again) Navin:

> But what is the difference between the normal swinstall " patching" vs swinstall using SWA

SWA never runs 'swinstall'. You do. SWA performs the patch analysis and bundling of patches into a single software depot. *You* chose when to install the depot (bundle).

Notice in my example, that you can limit your analysis to a report only:

# swa report

...and if/when you are actually ready to download the patches selected, do:

# swa get ...

...after which you would do:

# swinstall -s /patches/swdepot ...

...just as you would for any software depot!

Regards!

...JRF...