Unix Articles & FAQ

For Redhat enterprise Linux operating systems, you need to get updates from RHN via Redhat Network Satellite/proxy servers (usually used by big hosting/ISPs or larget RHEL installation setups) to install critical and non-critical security updates as well as binary packages.
This example shows how to register your system with RHN

To register your system with RHN type the following command and just follow on screen instructions:

# up2date --register
Please Note: These examples only works with RHEL version 2.x, 3.x and 4.x only. RHEL version 5.x comes with yum utility to update and install packages.

This example display list of updated software (security fix)

Type the following command at shell prompt:
# up2date -l

This example shows how to [atch up system by applying all updates

To download all update type the following command:
# up2date -u

This example shows how to forcefully update or do patching

Sometime you need to forcefully apply updates. By default RHN does not install new kernel, so you need to run updates using following command:
# up2date -uf

This example shows how to install a new software/rpm

Use up2date command to install new RPM from RHN:
# up2date httpd

This example shows how to update an installed software

To fix latest bugs or to apply a patch use up2date command as follows for php package:
# up2date php

This example shows how to download the source RPM files

Download source packages only but don't install:
# up2date -d --src Package-Name


This example shows how to display the list of available packages

# up2date --showall
# up2date --showall | grep httpd

This example shows how to install a particular architecture package

If you are using 64 bit RHEL version it is possible to install 32 packages:
# up2date --arch=i386 mysql

Above command will install mysql 32 bit version instead of 64 bit version.

This example shows how to display what package provides the file

You can easily find out what RPM package provides the file. For example find out what provides the /etc/passwd file:
# up2date --whatprovides "/etc/passwd"
Output:
setup-2.5.37-1.3.noarch

It queries the RHN servers to resolve the comma separated list of dependencies. It will return a list of packages that will satisfy these dependencies.

This example shows how to display the list of group software

Option --show-groups displays all the component groups that are installable via up2date command. This is good to install entire set of software such as development environment.
# up2date --show-groupsOutput:

Administration Tools
Arabic Support
Assamese Support
Authoring and Publishing
GNOME
GNOME Desktop Environment
GNOME Software Development
Games and Entertainment
Windows File Server
Workstation Common
X Software Development
X Window System
XEmacs

To install group X Software Development just type the command:
# up2date -i "@ X Software Development "

To read man page of up2date command for more information:
man up2date