Red Hat NETWORK 4.1.0 - User manual

Red Hat Network 4.1.0
Reference Guide

Red Hat Network 4.1.0: Reference Guide
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Table of Contents
Introduction to the Guide.................................................................................................. i
1. Document Conventions ........................................................................................ i
2. More to Come ......................................................................................................v
2.1. Send in Your Feedback .........................................................................v
1. Red Hat Network Overview ..........................................................................................1
1.1. Update ...............................................................................................................2
1.2. Management......................................................................................................2
1.3. Provisioning ......................................................................................................3
1.4. Monitoring ........................................................................................................4
1.5. Errata Notifications and Scheduled Package Installations ................................5
1.6. Security, Quality Assurance, and Red Hat Network .........................................5
1.7. Before You Begin..............................................................................................6
2. Red Hat Update Agent...................................................................................................9
2.1. Starting the Red Hat Update Agent ................................................................9
2.2. Registration .....................................................................................................13
2.2.1. Registering a User Account .............................................................14
2.2.2. Activate ............................................................................................17
2.2.3. Channels...........................................................................................20
2.2.4. Packages Flagged to be Skipped ......................................................22
2.2.5. Available Package Updates ..............................................................23
2.2.6. Retrieving Packages .........................................................................25
2.2.7. Installing Packages...........................................................................26
2.3. Command Line Version ..................................................................................28
2.3.1. Installing the Red Hat GPG key.......................................................31
2.3.2. Manual Package Installation ............................................................33
2.3.3. Synchronizing Your System Profile .................................................33
2.3.4. Log File ............................................................................................34
2.4. Configuration ..................................................................................................34
2.4.1. Using the Red Hat Update Agent Configuration Tool.................34
2.4.2. Command Line Version ...................................................................38
2.5. Registering with Activation Keys ...................................................................39
3. Red Hat Network Daemon ..........................................................................................43
3.1. Configuring .....................................................................................................43
3.2. Viewing Status ................................................................................................43
3.3. Disabling .........................................................................................................44
3.4. Troubleshooting ..............................................................................................44
4. Red Hat Network Alert Notification Tool ..................................................................45
4.1. Configuring the Applet ...................................................................................45
4.2. Notification Icons............................................................................................46
4.3. Viewing Updates .............................................................................................47
4.4. Applying Updates ...........................................................................................48
4.5. Launching the RHN Website ..........................................................................48

5. Red Hat Network Registration Client........................................................................49
5.1. Configuring the Red Hat Network Registration Client...............................49
5.2. Starting the Red Hat Network Registration Client .....................................51
5.3. Registering a User Account ............................................................................54
5.4. Registering a System Profile ...........................................................................56
5.4.1. Hardware System Profile .................................................................56
5.4.2. Software System Profile...................................................................58
5.5. Finishing Registration .....................................................................................60
5.6. Entitling Your System .....................................................................................62
5.7. Text Mode RHN Registration Client ..............................................................63
6. Red Hat Network Website ...........................................................................................65
6.1. Navigation .......................................................................................................65
6.1.1. Entitlement Views ............................................................................66
6.1.2. Categories and Pages .......................................................................67
6.1.3. Errata Alert Icons .............................................................................69
6.1.4. Quick Search ....................................................................................69
6.1.5. Systems Selected..............................................................................69
6.1.6. Lists..................................................................................................70
6.2. Logging into the RHN Website.......................................................................70
6.3. Your RHN .......................................................................................................71
6.3.1. Your Account ...................................................................................73
6.3.2. Your Preferences ..............................................................................74
6.3.3. Locale Preferences ...........................................................................75
6.3.4. Subscription Management ...............................................................75
6.4. Systems ...........................................................................................................77
6.4.1. Overview — .............................................................................77
6.4.2. Systems ............................................................................................78
6.4.3. System Groups — ....................................................................97
6.4.4. System Set Manager — .........................................................101
6.4.5. Advanced Search — ..............................................................108
6.4.6. Activation Keys — .................................................................109
6.4.7. Stored Profiles — ...................................................................111
6.4.8. Custom System Info — ..........................................................111
6.4.9. Kickstart — ............................................................................112
6.5. Errata.............................................................................................................125
6.5.1. Relevant Errata...............................................................................126
6.5.2. All Errata........................................................................................127
6.5.3. Advanced Search............................................................................129
6.6. Channels........................................................................................................129

6.6.1. Software Channels .........................................................................129
6.6.2. Channel Entitlements .....................................................................133
6.6.3. Download Software........................................................................133
6.6.4. Package Search ..............................................................................134
6.6.5. Manage Software Channels ...........................................................134
6.6.6. Manage Config Channels — ..................................................136
6.7. Schedule ........................................................................................................144
6.7.1. Pending Actions .............................................................................144
6.7.2. Failed Actions ................................................................................145
6.7.3. Completed Actions.........................................................................145
6.7.4. Archived Actions ...........................................................................145
6.7.5. Actions List....................................................................................145
6.8. Users — ................................................................................................147
6.8.1. User List ⇒Active — ...........................................................148
6.8.2. User List ⇒Deactivated — ...................................................153
6.8.3. User List ⇒All — ................................................................153
6.9. Monitoring — .......................................................................................153
6.9.1. Probe Status — ......................................................................153
6.9.2. Notification — .......................................................................156
6.9.3. Probe Suites ...................................................................................158
6.9.4. Scout Config Push — .............................................................160
6.9.5. General Config — ..................................................................160
6.10. Satellite Tools..............................................................................................161
6.10.1. Satellite Tools ⇒Satellite Configuration ....................................161
6.10.2. Satellite Tools ⇒String Manager ...............................................162
6.11. Help.............................................................................................................162
6.11.1. Help Desk.....................................................................................162
6.11.2. Quick Start Guide ........................................................................162
6.11.3. FAQ ..............................................................................................163
6.11.4. Migration FAQ .............................................................................163
6.11.5. Reference Guide...........................................................................163
6.11.6. Best Practices Guide ....................................................................163
6.11.7. Contact RHN................................................................................163
6.11.8. Satellite Installation Guide...........................................................163
6.11.9. Proxy Guide .................................................................................163
6.11.10. Client Configuration Guide........................................................164
6.11.11. Channel Management Guide......................................................164
6.11.12. Terms & Conditions ...................................................................164
6.11.13. Outage Policy .............................................................................164

6.11.14. Release Notes.............................................................................164
6.11.15. Get RHN Software .....................................................................164
7. Monitoring ..................................................................................................................165
7.1. Prerequisites ..................................................................................................165
7.2. Red Hat Network Monitoring Daemon (rhnmd) ......................................166
7.2.1. Probes requiring the daemon .........................................................166
7.2.2. Installing the Red Hat Network Monitoring Daemon................167
7.2.3. Configuring SSH............................................................................167
7.2.4. Installing the SSH key ...................................................................168
7.3. mysql-server package ..............................................................................169
7.4. Notifications ..................................................................................................169
7.4.1. Creating Notification Methods.......................................................169
7.4.2. Receiving Notifications..................................................................170
7.4.3. Redirecting Notifications ...............................................................171
7.4.4. Filtering Notifications ....................................................................172
7.4.5. Deleting Notification Methods.......................................................172
7.5. Probes............................................................................................................173
7.5.1. Managing Probes ...........................................................................173
7.5.2. Establishing Thresholds .................................................................174
7.5.3. Monitoring the RHN Server...........................................................174
7.6. Troubleshooting ............................................................................................175
7.6.1. Examining Probes with rhn-catalog .........................................175
7.6.2. Viewing the output of rhn-runprobe..........................................176
8. UNIX Support Guide .................................................................................................179
8.1. Introduction...................................................................................................179
8.1.1. Supported UNIX Variants ..............................................................179
8.1.2. Prerequisites ...................................................................................179
8.1.3. Included Features ...........................................................................179
8.1.4. Differences in Functionality ..........................................................180
8.1.5. Excluded Features ..........................................................................181
8.2. Satellite Server Preparation/Configuration ...................................................181
8.3. Client System Preparation.............................................................................183
8.3.1. Download and Install Additional Packages ...................................184
8.3.2. Deploying Client SSL Certificates .................................................187
8.3.3. Configuring the clients ...................................................................188
8.4. Registration and Updates ..............................................................................189
8.4.1. Registering Systems.......................................................................189
8.4.2. Obtaining Updates .........................................................................190
8.5. Remote Commands.......................................................................................194
8.5.1. Enabling Commands......................................................................194
8.5.2. Issuing Commands.........................................................................195

A. Command Line Config Management Tools ............................................................197
A.1. Red Hat Network Actions Control ...........................................................197
A.1.1. General command line options .....................................................197
A.2. Red Hat Network Configuration Client ...................................................198
A.2.1. Listing Config Files.......................................................................198
A.2.2. Getting a Config File.....................................................................199
A.2.3. Viewing Config Channels .............................................................200
A.2.4. Differentiating between Config Files ............................................200
A.2.5. Verifying Config Files ...................................................................201
A.3. Red Hat Network Configuration Manager ..............................................201
A.3.1. Creating a Config Channel ............................................................202
A.3.2. Adding Files to a Config Channel.................................................202
A.3.3. Differentiating between Latest Config Files .................................203
A.3.4. Differentiating between Various Versions.....................................204
A.3.5. Downloading All Files in a Channel .............................................205
A.3.6. Getting the Contents of a File .......................................................205
A.3.7. Listing All Files in a Channel .......................................................206
A.3.8. Listing All Config Channels .........................................................206
A.3.9. Removing a File from a Channel ..................................................207
A.3.10. Deleting a Config Channel ..........................................................207
A.3.11. Determining the Number of File Revisions ................................207
A.3.12. Updating a File in a Channel.......................................................208
A.3.13. Uploading Multiple Files at Once ...............................................209
B. RHN API Access........................................................................................................211
B.1. Using the auth Class and Getting the Session ..............................................211
B.2. Obtaining the system_id...............................................................................211
B.3. Determining the sid ......................................................................................211
B.4. Viewing the cid.............................................................................................212
B.5. Getting the sgid ............................................................................................212
B.6. Sample API Script ........................................................................................212
C. Probes.........................................................................................................................215
C.1. Probe Guidelines ..........................................................................................215
C.2. Apache 1.3.x and 2.0.x.................................................................................216
C.2.1. Apache::Processes .........................................................................216
C.2.2. Apache::Traffic..............................................................................217
C.2.3. Apache::Uptime ............................................................................218
C.3. BEA WebLogic 6.x and higher ....................................................................219
C.3.1. BEA WebLogic::Execute Queue ...................................................219
C.3.2. BEA WebLogic::Heap Free ..........................................................220
C.3.3. BEA WebLogic::JDBC Connection Pool .....................................221
C.3.4. BEA WebLogic::Server State........................................................222
C.3.5. BEA WebLogic::Servlet ................................................................222
C.4. General .........................................................................................................223
C.4.1. General::Remote Program.............................................................223

C.4.2. General::Remote Program with Data ............................................224
C.4.3. General::SNMP Check ..................................................................225
C.4.4. General::TCP Check .....................................................................225
C.4.5. General::UDP Check.....................................................................226
C.4.6. General::Uptime (SNMP) .............................................................227
C.5. Linux ............................................................................................................227
C.5.1. Linux::CPU Usage ........................................................................228
C.5.2. Linux::Disk IO Throughput ..........................................................228
C.5.3. Linux::Disk Usage.........................................................................229
C.5.4. Linux::Inodes ................................................................................230
C.5.5. Linux::Interface Traffic .................................................................230
C.5.6. Linux::Load...................................................................................231
C.5.7. Linux::Memory Usage ..................................................................231
C.5.8. Linux::Process Counts by State ....................................................232
C.5.9. Linux::Process Count Total ...........................................................233
C.5.10. Linux::Process Health .................................................................233
C.5.11. Linux::Process Running ..............................................................235
C.5.12. Linux::Swap Usage .....................................................................235
C.5.13. Linux::TCP Connections by State...............................................236
C.5.14. Linux::Users ................................................................................237
C.5.15. Linux::Virtual Memory ...............................................................238
C.6. LogAgent......................................................................................................238
C.6.1. LogAgent::Log Pattern Match ......................................................238
C.6.2. LogAgent::Log Size ......................................................................240
C.7. MySQL 3.23 - 3.33 ......................................................................................241
C.7.1. MySQL::Database Accessibility ...................................................241
C.7.2. MySQL::Opened Tables................................................................242
C.7.3. MySQL::Open Tables ...................................................................242
C.7.4. MySQL::Query Rate .....................................................................243
C.7.5. MySQL::Threads Running ............................................................243
C.8. Network Services .........................................................................................244
C.8.1. Network Services::DNS Lookup...................................................244
C.8.2. Network Services::FTP .................................................................245
C.8.3. Network Services::IMAP Mail......................................................245
C.8.4. Network Services::Mail Transfer (SMTP) ....................................246
C.8.5. Network Services::Ping .................................................................246
C.8.6. Network Services::POP Mail ........................................................247
C.8.7. Network Services::Remote Ping ...................................................248
C.8.8. Network Services::RPCService.....................................................249
C.8.9. Network Services::Secure Web Server (HTTPS)..........................250
C.8.10. Network Services::SSH ...............................................................250
C.8.11. Network Services::Web Server (HTTP)......................................251
C.9. Oracle 8i and 9i ............................................................................................252
C.9.1. Oracle::Active Sessions.................................................................253
C.9.2. Oracle::Availability .......................................................................253
C.9.3. Oracle::Blocking Sessions.............................................................254

C.9.4. Oracle::Buffer Cache.....................................................................254
C.9.5. Oracle::Client Connectivity ...........................................................255
C.9.6. Oracle::Data Dictionary Cache .....................................................256
C.9.7. Oracle::Disk Sort Ratio .................................................................256
C.9.8. Oracle::Idle Sessions .....................................................................257
C.9.9. Oracle::Index Extents ....................................................................258
C.9.10. Oracle::Library Cache .................................................................258
C.9.11. Oracle::Locks ..............................................................................259
C.9.12. Oracle::Redo Log ........................................................................260
C.9.13. Oracle::Table Extents ..................................................................261
C.9.14. Oracle::Tablespace Usage ...........................................................262
C.9.15. Oracle::TNS Ping ........................................................................262
C.10. RHN Satellite Server ..................................................................................263
C.10.1. RHN Satellite Server::Disk Space...............................................263
C.10.2. RHN Satellite Server::Execution Time .......................................264
C.10.3. RHN Satellite Server::Interface Traffic .......................................264
C.10.4. RHN Satellite Server::Latency ....................................................265
C.10.5. RHN Satellite Server::Load ........................................................265
C.10.6. RHN Satellite Server::Probe Count.............................................266
C.10.7. RHN Satellite Server::Process Counts ........................................266
C.10.8. RHN Satellite Server::Processes .................................................267
C.10.9. RHN Satellite Server::Process Health .........................................267
C.10.10. RHN Satellite Server::Process Running....................................268
C.10.11. RHN Satellite Server::Swap ......................................................269
C.10.12. RHN Satellite Server::Users......................................................269
Glossary ..........................................................................................................................271
Index................................................................................................................................ 279

Introduction to the Guide
Welcome to the Red Hat Network 4.1.0 Reference Guide. The RHN Reference Guide guides
you through registering systems with Red Hat Network and using its many features.
Since Red Hat Network offers a variety of service levels, from the most basic Update
module to the most advanced Monitoring package, some content of this guide may be
inapplicable to you. This is particularly true of the RHN website, which displays selected
categories, pages, and tabs depending on the entitlement level of the account used to log
in. Refer to Chapter 6 Red Hat Network Website to determine what is available to you.
Depending on the version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux installed and the addition of new
features, the Red Hat Network Registration Client and the Red Hat Update Agent
may differ from the descriptions in this manual. Use Red Hat Network to update these
applications before referring to the latest version of this manual.
All versions of this manual are available in HTML and PDF formats at
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/RHNetwork/.
This version of the manual covers version 4.4.5 of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 and 4
Red Hat Update Agent and versions 2.9.14 and 2.9.12 of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux
2.1 Red Hat Update Agent and Red Hat Network Registration Client, respectively.
Warning
Systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 must use the Red Hat Network
Registration Client before starting the Red Hat Update Agent. Refer to
Chapter 5 Red Hat Network Registration Client for instructions. Systems running Red
Hat Enterprise Linux 3, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and later register with the Red Hat
Update Agent. Refer to Chapter 2 Red Hat Update Agent for instructions.
For an overview of Red Hat Network offerings, please review the descriptions available at
http://www.redhat.com/software/rhn/.
1. Document Conventions
In this manual, certain words are represented in different fonts, typefaces, sizes, and
weights. This highlighting is systematic; different words are represented in the same style
to indicate their inclusion in a specific category. The types of words that are represented
this way include the following:
command
Linux commands (and other operating system commands, when used) are represented
this way. This style should indicate to you that you can type the word or phrase on

ii Introduction to the Guide
the command line and press [Enter] to invoke a command. Sometimes a command
contains words that would be displayed in a different style on their own (such as file
names). In these cases, they are considered to be part of the command, so the entire
phrase is displayed as a command. For example:
Use the cat testfile command to view the contents of a file, named testfile,
in the current working directory.
file name
File names, directory names, paths, and RPM package names are represented this
way. This style indicates that a particular file or directory exists with that name on
your system. Examples:
The .bashrc file in your home directory contains bash shell definitions and aliases
for your own use.
The /etc/fstab file contains information about different system devices and file
systems.
Install the webalizer RPM if you want to use a Web server log file analysis program.
application
This style indicates that the program is an end-user application (as opposed to system
software). For example:
Use Mozilla to browse the Web.
[key]
A key on the keyboard is shown in this style. For example:
To use [Tab] completion, type in a character and then press the [Tab] key. Your termi-
nal displays the list of files in the directory that start with that letter.
[key]-[combination]
A combination of keystrokes is represented in this way. For example:
The [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[Backspace] key combination exits your graphical session and returns
you to the graphical login screen or the console.
text found on a GUI interface
A title, word, or phrase found on a GUI interface screen or window is shown in this
style. Text shown in this style indicates that a particular GUI screen or an element on
a GUI screen (such as text associated with a checkbox or field). Example:
Select the Require Password checkbox if you would like your screensaver to require
a password before stopping.

Introduction to the Guide iii
top level of a menu on a GUI screen or window
A word in this style indicates that the word is the top level of a pulldown menu. If you
click on the word on the GUI screen, the rest of the menu should appear. For example:
Under File on a GNOME terminal, the New Tab option allows you to open multiple
shell prompts in the same window.
Instructions to type in a sequence of commands from a GUI menu look like the fol-
lowing example:
Go to Applications (the main menu on the panel) => Programming => Emacs Text
Editor to start the Emacs text editor.
button on a GUI screen or window
This style indicates that the text can be found on a clickable button on a GUI screen.
For example:
Click on the Back button to return to the webpage you last viewed.
computer output
Text in this style indicates text displayed to a shell prompt such as error messages and
responses to commands. For example:
The ls command displays the contents of a directory. For example:
Desktop about.html logs paulwesterberg.png
Mail backupfiles mail reports
The output returned in response to the command (in this case, the contents of the
directory) is shown in this style.
prompt
A prompt, which is a computer’s way of signifying that it is ready for you to input
something, is shown in this style. Examples:
$
#
[stephen@maturin stephen]$
leopard login:
user input
Text that the user types, either on the command line or into a text box on a GUI screen,
is displayed in this style. In the following example, text is displayed in this style:
To boot your system into the text based installation program, you must type in the
text command at the boot: prompt.

iv Introduction to the Guide
<replaceable>
Text used in examples that is meant to be replaced with data provided by the user
is displayed in this style. In the following example, <version-number>is dis-
played in this style:
The directory for the kernel source is /usr/src/kernels/<version-number>/,
where <version-number>is the version and type of kernel installed on this
system.
Additionally, we use several different strategies to draw your attention to certain pieces of
information. In order of urgency, these items are marked as a note, tip, important, caution,
or warning. For example:
Note
Remember that Linux is case sensitive. In other words, a rose is not a ROSE is not a
rOsE.
Tip
The directory /usr/share/doc/ contains additional documentation for packages installed
on your system.
Important
If you modify the DHCP configuration file, the changes do not take effect until you restart
the DHCP daemon.
Caution
Do not perform routine tasks as root — use a regular user account unless you need to
use the root account for system administration tasks.

Introduction to the Guide v
Warning
Be careful to remove only the necessary partitions. Removing other partitions could result
in data loss or a corrupted system environment.
2. More to Come
The Red Hat Network Reference Guide is constantly expanding as new Red Hat
Network features and service plans are launched. HTML and PDF versions of this
and other manuals are available within the Help section of the RHN website and at
http://www.redhat.com/docs/.
Note
Although this manual reflects the most current information possible, read the
RHN Release Notes for information that may not have been available prior to the
finalization of the documentation. The notes can be found on the RHN website and at
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/RHNetwork/.
The following RHN documentation has been translated for the RHN 4.0 release: RHN
3.7 Reference Guide, RHN 3.7 Satellite Guide, RHN 3.7 Release Notes, and the RHN
4.0 Release Notes. Translations of the remaining RHN 4.0 documentation will be available
after the initial release. Translated documentation is available at http://rhn.redhat.com/help/
2.1. Send in Your Feedback
If you would like to make suggestions about the Red Hat Network Reference Guide, please
submit a report in Bugzilla: http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/
Be sure to select the Red Hat Network product and the Documentation component. To
easily associate the problem with this guide, mention its identifier:
RHNref(EN)-4.1.0-RHI (2005-06-17T12:14)

vi Introduction to the Guide

Chapter 1.
Red Hat Network Overview
Have you ever read about a new version of a software package and wanted to install it but
could not find it?
Have you ever tried to find an RPM through an Internet search engine or an RPM repository
and been linked to an unknown site?
Have you ever tried to find an RPM but instead found only source files that you had to
compile yourself?
Have you ever spent hours or even days visiting different websites to see if you have the
latest packages installed on your system, only to have to do it again in a few months?
Those days are over with Red Hat Network (RHN). RHN provides the solution to all your
system software management needs.
Red Hat Network is an Internet solution for managing a single Red Hat Enterprise Linux
system or a network of Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems. All Security Alerts, Bug Fix
Alerts, and Enhancement Alerts (collectively known as Errata Alerts) can be downloaded
directly from Red Hat or your own custom collection. You can even schedule updates for
delivery to your system immediately after release.
The main components of Red Hat Network are as follows:
•the Red Hat Update Agent
•the Red Hat Network website, whether this is hosted by the central RHN Servers, an
RHN Satellite Server, or fed through an RHN Proxy Server
•Red Hat Network Daemon
•the Red Hat Network Registration Client - for systems running Red Hat Enterprise
Linux 2.1 only.
The Red Hat Update Agent (up2date) provides your initial connection to Red Hat Net-
work. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 and newer systems use the Red Hat Update Agent to
register with RHN. Registration involves creating a unique RHN username and password,
probing the hardware on your system to create a Hardware Profile, and probing the soft-
ware packages installed on your system to create a Package Profile. This information is
sent to RHN and RHN returns a unique System ID to your system. Once registered, the
Red Hat Update Agent enables channel subscription, package installs, and management of
System Profiles. See Chapter 2 Red Hat Update Agent for further information.
The Red Hat Update Agent, as the base component of RHN, is designed to manage a
single system. It allows the system’s superuser to view and apply Errata to the system. The
RHN web interface facilitates the management, monitoring, and provisioning of a large

2 Chapter 1. Red Hat Network Overview
deployment of systems, including the configuration of the Red Hat Update Agent for each
system.
The Red Hat Network Daemon (rhnsd) runs in the background as a service and
probes the Red Hat Network for notifications and updates at set time intervals (see
Chapter 3 Red Hat Network Daemon for further information). This daemon is necessary
in order to schedule updates or other actions through the website.
The Red Hat Network Registration Client allows you to register your Red Hat
Enterprise Linux 2.1 systems with RHN. (Newer versions of Red Hat Enterprise
Linux have registration functionality built into the Red Hat Update Agent.) See
Chapter 5 Red Hat Network Registration Client for more information.
Many Red Hat Network terms are used throughout this manual. As you read the Red Hat
Network Reference Guide, refer to the Glossary as necessary for an explanation of common
terms.
Tip
For a comparison chart of RHN service levels, refer to
http://www.redhat.com/software/rhn/table/.
1.1. Update
The RHN Update service is ideal for a user with one Red Hat Enterprise Linux system or
a small number of Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems. Updated Subscription to Update can
be purchased at https://www.redhat.com/apps/commerce/rhn/.
With each Update subscription, you receive the following services:
•Download Software — For customers who have purchased subscriptions to Red Hat
Network, ISO images are available for immediate download.
•Priority Access during periods of high load — When Red Hat releases a large erratum,
users with Priority Access can be guaranteed that they will be able to access the updated
packages immediately.
•RHN Support Access — All paying customers of Red Hat Network receive web based
support for their RHN questions.
•Errata Notification, Multiple Systems — Subscriptions for multiple systems means Er-
rata notification for Errata to all of those systems. Note that only one email is distributed
per each Erratum, regardless of the number of systems affected.
•Errata Updates, Multiple Systems — Get quick updates for multiple systems with an
easy button click for each system.

Chapter 1. Red Hat Network Overview 3
1.2. Management
In addition to the features offered in the RHN Update subscription level, the RHN Man-
agement subscription service allows you to manage your network of Red Hat Enterprise
Linux systems, users, and system groups through its System Set Manager interface.
RHN Management is based upon the concept of an organization. Each Management-level
Red Hat customer has the ability to establish users who have administration privileges
to system groups. An Organization Administrator has overall control over each Red Hat
Network organization with the ability to add and remove systems and users. When users
other than the Organization Administrator log into the Red Hat Network website, they see
only the systems they have permission to administer.
To create an account that can be used to entitle systems to RHN Management, go to
https://rhn.redhat.com/ and click on the Create Login link under the Sign In fields. On
the Create a Red Hat Login page, click Create a new Business Login. After creating a
business account, you may add users within your organization to it.
The Red Hat Network features available to you depend on the subscription level for each
Red Hat Enterprise Linux system. With each Management subscription, you receive the
functionality provided to Update users, plus:
•Package Profile Comparison — Compare the package set on a system with the package
sets of similar systems with one click.
•Search Systems — Search through systems based on a number of criteria: packages,
networking information, even hardware asset tags.
•System Grouping — Web servers, database servers, workstations and other workload-
focused systems may be grouped so that each set can be administered in common ways.
•Multiple Administrators — Administrators may be given rights to particular system
groups, easing the burden of system management over very large organizations.
•System Set Manager — You may now apply actions to sets of systems instead of single
systems, work with members of a predefined system group, or work with an ad-hoc
collection of systems. Install a single software package to each, subscribe the systems to
a new channel, or apply all Errata to them with a single action.
•Batch Processing — Compiling a list of outdated packages for a thousand systems would
take days for a dedicated sysadmin. Red Hat Network Management service can do it for
you in seconds.
1.3. Provisioning
As the highest management service level, RHN Provisioning encompasses all of the fea-
tures offered in the RHN Update and Management subscription levels. It is designed to
allow you to deploy and manage your network of Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems, users,
and system groups.

4 Chapter 1. Red Hat Network Overview
Like Management, Provisioning is based upon an organization. It takes this concept a
step further by enabling customers with Provisioning entitlements to kickstart, reconfig-
ure, track, and revert systems on the fly.
In addition to all of the features mentioned in lower service levels, Provisioning provides:
•Kickstarting — Systems with Provisioning entitlements may be re-installed through
RHN with a whole host of options established in kickstart profiles. Options include
everything from the type of bootloader and time zone to packages included/excluded
and IP address ranges allowed. Even GPG and SSL keys can be pre-configured.
•Client Configuration — RHN Satellite Server Customers may use RHN to manage the
configuration files on Provisioning-entitled systems. Users can upload files to custom
configurations channels on the Satellite, verify local configuration files against those
stored on the Satellite, and deploy files from the Satellite.
•Snapshot Rollbacks — Provisioning-level users have the ability to revert the package
profile and RHN settings of systems. RHN Satellite Server customers can also roll back
local configurations files. This is possible because snapshots are captured whenever an
action takes place on a system. These snapshots identify groups, channels, packages,
and configuration files.
•Custom System Information — Provisioning customers may identify any type of in-
formation they choose about their registered systems. This differs from System Profile
information, which is generated automatically, and the Notes, which are unrestricted, in
that the Custom System Information allows you to develop specific keys of your choos-
ing and assign searchable values for that key to each Provisioning-entitled system. For
instance, this feature allows you to identify the cubicle in which each system is located
and search through all registered systems according to their cubicle.
1.4. Monitoring
Monitoring entitlements are available to RHN Satellite Server customers with Red Hat
Enterprise Linux systems.
Monitoring allows an organization to install probes that can immediately detect failures and
identify performance degradation before it becomes critical. Used properly, the Monitoring
entitlement can provide insight into the applications, services, and devices on each system.
Specifically, Monitoring provides:
•Probes — Dozens of probes can be run against each system. These range from simple
ping checks to custom remote programs designed to return valuable data.
•Notification — Alerts can be sent to email and pager addresses with contact methods
identified by you when a probe changes state. Each probe notification can be sent to a
different method, or address.