Linux Patch Management: Keeping Linux Systems Up To Date
Here are some of the key points from the certification objectives in Chapter 5.
The Red Hat Package Manager
| ❑ | The RPM database tracks where each file in a package is located, its version, and much more. |
| ❑ | Verifying an installed package confirms the integrity based on the RPM database. |
| ❑ | The Install mode of RPM installs RPM packages on your system; a newly installed kernel is loaded side by side with a previously installed kernel. |
| ❑ | The Upgrade mode of RPM replaces the old version of the package with the new one. |
More RPM Commands
| ❑ | The rpm -e command (erase) removes a package from your system. |
| ❑ | The rpm command query mode (-q) determines whether packages are installed on your system or files are associated with a particular package. |
| ❑ | Source RPMs, as the name indicates, contain the source code used to build architecture-specific packages. |
| ❑ | The spec file loaded in /usr/src/redhat/SPECS/packagename.spec controls the way a package is built and what actions are performed when it is installed or removed from a system. |
| ❑ | Run rpmbuild -ba packagename.spec to build your binary and source RPM. |
Managing Updates with Pup and the Red Hat Network
| ❑ | Before connecting to the RHN, you need to register your system. |
| ❑ | The Package Updater, Pup, can help you keep systems up to date. |
| ❑ | With automatic dependency resolution, yum and the RHN help install dependencies along with desired packages. |
| ❑ | The RHN can help you manage subscribed systems remotely using a Web-based interface. |
Adding and Removing RPM Packages with yum and pirut
| ❑ | The yum command can help install a group of packages from the RHN or repositories configured in the /etc/yum.repos.d directory. |
| ❑ | The pirut tool can help you add and remove packages and complete package groups from your system. |
Using Kickstart to Automate Installation
| ❑ | Kickstart is Red Hat's solution for an automated simultaneous installation on several computers. |
| ❑ | Kickstart installations can be configured to take installation files from a CD-ROM, a local drive, an NFS, an FTP, or an HTTP server. |
| ❑ | There are two ways to create a kickstart file: from the configuration when you installed Linux as documented in the /root/anaconda-ks.cfg file, or from the GUI Kickstart Configurator. |