Red Hat NETWORK SATELLITE 5.1.0 - CHANNEL MANAGEMENT User manual

Red Hat Network Satellite
Channel Management
Guide 5.1.0
5.1
ISBN: N/A
Publication date:

Red Hat Network Satellite

Red Hat Network Satellite: Channel Management Guide 5.1.0
Copyright ©2008 Red Hat, Inc.
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Red Hat Network Satellite

1. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1
2. Introduction to RHN Channels ................................................................................. 3
1. Base Channels and Child Channels ................................................................ 3
2. Subscribing to Channels ................................................................................. 3
3. Channel Availability ........................................................................................ 4
4. Tools, Repositories, and Practices .................................................................. 4
3. Building Custom Packages ..................................................................................... 7
1. Building packages for Red Hat Network ........................................................... 7
1.1. RPM Benefits ...................................................................................... 7
1.2. RHN RPM Guidelines .......................................................................... 8
2. Digital Signatures for RHN Packages .............................................................. 9
2.1. Generating a GnuPG Keypair ..............................................................10
2.2. Signing packages ...............................................................................11
4. Custom Channel and Package Management ..........................................................13
1. Channel Management Privileges ....................................................................13
2. Manage Software Channels ...........................................................................13
3. Managed Software Channel Details ...............................................................14
4. Manage Software Packages ..........................................................................16
5. Creating a Software Channel .........................................................................17
6. Assigning Packages to Software Channels .....................................................17
7. Cloning Software Channels ...........................................................................18
8. Deleting Software Channels ...........................................................................19
5. Custom Errata Management ..................................................................................21
1. Manage Errata ..............................................................................................21
1.1. Published Errata ................................................................................21
1.2. Unpublished Errata .............................................................................21
2. Managed Errata Details .................................................................................22
3. Creating and Editing Errata ............................................................................22
4. Assigning Packages to Errata ........................................................................23
5. Cloning Errata ...............................................................................................24
6. Uploading and Maintaining Custom Packages ........................................................25
1. Uploading Packages to RHN Proxy Server .....................................................25
1.1. Configuring and Using the RHN Package Manager .............................26
2. Uploading Packages to RHN Satellite Server ..................................................29
2.1. Configuring the RHN Push Application ................................................29
2.2. Using the RHN Push application .........................................................31
Index .......................................................................................................................33
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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.
In some instances, this document refers to actions that are performed on the Red Hat Network
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.
Chapter 1.
1

2

Introduction to RHN Channels
A Red Hat Network channel is a collection of software packages. Channels help you segregate
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 example.
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 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.
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. Subscribing to Channels
Subscribe systems to channels in the following ways:
• Registration through activation keys — Because of the simplicity and speed of activation
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.
• 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 assigned 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
Chapter 2.
3

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 information on
subscribing to channels online, refer to the Red Hat Network Website chapter of the RHN
Reference Guide.
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
channels, 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.
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:
•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.
Chapter 2. Introduction to RHN Channels
4