Red Hat NETWORK 4.0 - User manual

Red Hat Network 4.0
Channel Management Guide

Red Hat Network 4.0: Channel Management Guide
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction....................................................................................................................1
2. Introduction to RHN Channels.....................................................................................3
2.1. Base Channels and Child Channels ..................................................................3
2.2. Subscribing to Channels ...................................................................................3
2.3. Channel Availability .........................................................................................4
2.4. Tools, Repositories, and Practices ....................................................................4
3. Building Custom Packages............................................................................................7
3.1. Building packages for Red Hat Network ..........................................................7
3.1.1. RPM Benefits .....................................................................................7
3.1.2. RHN RPM Guidelines .......................................................................8
3.2. Digital Signatures for RHN Packages.............................................................10
3.2.1. Generating a GnuPG Keypair ..........................................................10
3.2.2. Signing packages .............................................................................12
4. Custom Channel and Package Management.............................................................13
4.1. Channel Management Privileges ....................................................................13
4.2. Manage Software Channels ............................................................................14
4.3. Managed Software Channel Details................................................................14
4.4. Manage Software Packages ............................................................................16
4.5. Creating a Software Channel ..........................................................................17
4.6. Assigning Packages to Software Channels .....................................................18
4.7. Cloning Software Channels ............................................................................18
4.8. Deleting Software Channels ...........................................................................19
5. Custom Errata Management ......................................................................................21
5.1. Manage Errata .................................................................................................21
5.1.1. Published Errata ...............................................................................21
5.1.2. Unpublished Errata ..........................................................................21
5.2. Managed Errata Details...................................................................................22
5.3. Creating and Editing Errata ............................................................................22
5.4. Assigning Packages to Errata..........................................................................23
5.5. Cloning Errata .................................................................................................24
6. Uploading and Maintaining Custom Packages .........................................................25
6.1. Uploading Packages to RHN Proxy Server ....................................................25
6.1.1. Configuring and Using the RHN Package Manager .....................26
6.2. Uploading Packages to RHN Satellite Server.................................................29
6.2.1. Configuring the RHN Push Application .........................................29
6.2.2. Using the RHN Push application ....................................................32
Index..................................................................................................................................35

Chapter 1.
Introduction
This document discusses issues surrounding the deployment and maintenance of
customized software channels for RHN Proxy Server and RHN Satellite Server. It is used
after the RHN Satellite Server or RHN Proxy Server is installed and configured. Refer to
the Red Hat Network 4.0 Satellite Installation Guide and the Red Hat Network 4.0 Proxy
Installation Guide for details, as well as the Red Hat Network Client Configuration Guide.
In some instances, this document refers to actions that are performed on the Red Hat Net-
work Web servers. For RHN Proxy Server customers, this refers to the central Red Hat
Network Servers at https://rhn.redhat.com. For Satellite customers, this refers to the RHN
Satellite Server at your site.

2 Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2.
Introduction to RHN Channels
A Red Hat Network channel is a collection of software packages. Channels help you seg-
regate packages by sensible rules: a channel may contain packages from a specific Red
Hat distribution, for instance. A channel may contain packages for an application or family
of applications. Users may also define channels for their own particular needs; a company
may create a channel that contains packages for all of the organization’s laptops, for exam-
ple.
2.1. Base Channels and Child Channels
There are two types of channels: base channels and child channels. A base channel consists
of packages based on a specific architecture and Red Hat Enterprise Linux release. A child
channel is a channel associated with a base channel that contains extra packages.
A system must be subscribed to only one base channel. A system can be subscribed to
multiple child channels of its base channel. A subscribed system can only install or update
packages available through its Red Hat Network channels.
When a system is registered with Red Hat Network, it is assigned to the base channel that
corresponds to the system’s version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Once a system is regis-
tered, its default base channel may be changed to a private base channel on a per-system
basis via the RHN website. Alternately, you can have activation keys associated with a
custom channel so that systems registering with those keys are automatically associated
with the custom channel.
On the Red Hat Network website, the Channels page (located under the Channels tab on
the top navigation bar) provides a list of all base channels and their child channels. Clicking
on the name of a channel displays the Channel Details page, which provides a list of all
of the packages in that channel, its errata, and any associated systems.
2.2. Subscribing to Channels
Subscribe systems to channels in the following ways:
•Registration through activation keys — Because of the simplicity and speed of activa-
tion keys, this is the preferred method for registering systems as clients of either RHN
Proxy Server or RHN Satellite Server. Systems registered using an activation key are
subscribed to all channels associated with that activation key. For more information on
activation keys, consult the Red Hat Network Client Configuration Guide and the Red
Hat Network Reference Guide.

4 Chapter 2. Introduction to RHN Channels
•Install registration — When a system is initially registered through either the Red Hat
Update Agent or the Red Hat Network Registration Client, it is automatically as-
signed to the base channel that corresponds to the version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux
on the system. Once a system is registered, its default base channel may be changed to
a private base channel on a per-system basis via the RHN website. Alternately, you can
have activation keys associated with a custom channel so that systems registering with
those keys are automatically associated with the custom channel. For more information
on using these applications, refer to the respective chapter of the RHN Reference Guide
for your entitlement level (Management or Provisioning).
•Website subscription — Various specific child channels are available for subscription,
depending on the system’s base channel. The system may be subscribed to the child
channel through the RHN website. If you have created your own base channels, you may
also reassign systems to these custom channels through the website. For more informa-
tion on subscribing to channels online, refer to the Red Hat Network Website chapter of
the RHN Reference Guide.
2.3. Channel Availability
There are many channels in Red Hat Network. Some are available to all users, some are
available to users in a particular organization, and some are available only if you have
purchased access to them. Channels fall into these main categories:
•Paid Service Channels — These channels are available if you who have purchased access
to them either directly or in conjunction with a particular Red Hat solution. Red Hat
Enterprise Linux is an example of a paid service channel.
•Custom Channels — You create these channels to manage custom packages. These chan-
nels, also known as private channels, appear only to the organization who creates them;
they can never be accessed by anyone else.
This document focuses on the process of creating and maintaining custom channels with
an RHN Proxy Server or on an RHN Satellite Server.
2.4. Tools, Repositories, and Practices
Before creating and managing channels, note the differences between the various tools
and repositories at your disposal. This is especially important if you are deploying both
an RHN Satellite Server and RHN Proxy Server, as this increases the utilities and storage
locations available. Further, a Proxy-Satellite combination offers certain best practices for
optimal performance.
First, become familiar with these package management tools:

Chapter 2. Introduction to RHN Channels 5
•RHN Package Manager - Use this to push custom packages into custom channels on
your RHN Proxy Server.
•RHN Push - Use this to push custom packages into custom channels on your RHN
Satellite Server.
•RHN Satellite Synchronization Tool - Use this to import and synchronize standard
packages from Red Hat Network to your RHN Satellite Server with Red Hat Network.
This is done via the Internet or CD-ROM.
Each of these tools has a corresponding package repository. Both RHN Package Manager
and RHN Push require the creation of a temporary staging directory for placement of
custom packages that are uploaded to the Proxy or Satellite. You need to delete these
staging directories after use.
Tip
Red Hat recommends archiving your custom packages externally from Red Hat Network.
If you are using both RHN Proxy Server and RHN Satellite Server, use only RHN Push and
RHN Satellite Synchronization Tool. The Proxy-Satellite combination requires custom
packages and channels be uploaded to the Satellite only. From there, the Proxy obtains the
packages and distributes them to client systems.

6 Chapter 2. Introduction to RHN Channels