Chapter 4 Using the Solaris Plug-In to Deploy Patches

This chapter explains how to use the Solaris Plug-In within the N1 Grid Service Provisioning System to deploy a patch. The chapter contains the following information:

• Introduction to Solaris Patches

• Deploying Solaris Patches

• Solaris Patch Component Type

Introduction to Solaris Patches

A Solaris patch is a collection of files and directories that replaces or updates existing files and directories that are preventing proper execution of the Solaris OS or other software. The Solaris Plug-In enables you to use the N1 Grid Service Provisioning System to install a Solaris patch on multiple servers. For more information about Solaris patches and how to acquire them, see Chapter 18, Managing Solaris Patches (Overview), in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.

Deploying Solaris Patches

The N1 Grid Service Provisioning System uses the patchadd(1M) command to install patches and the patchrm(1M) command to uninstall patches.

How to Deploy a Solaris Patch from the Browser Interface

Before You Begin

Obtain the patch that you want to deploy.

The N1 Grid Service Provisioning System does not check for patch dependencies. Be sure to install patches in the proper sequence to account for patch dependencies.

Steps

1. In the left control panel, under Common Tasks, click the Sun Solaris icon.

   The Common Tasks for the Solaris Plug-In appear in the right panel of the browser interface.

2. Click the Solaris Patch: Create Patch Component link.

3. Define the component.

4. In the left control panel, under Application Deployment, click Components.

   A list of components appears.

5. Click the component that you just created.

6. (Optional) Click the Edit button to change any of the component variables.

   For details about the component variables, see Component Variables.

7. Choose the Component Procedure that you want to run and click the Run link.

   For details about the component procedures, see Component Procedures.

8. Complete the plan run page to run the procedure.

Solaris Patch Component Type

The com.sun.solaris#Patch component type is the only component type delivered by the Solaris plug-in for use with Solaris patches. To deploy Solaris patches using the N1 Grid Service Provisioning System, create components of type com.sun.solaris#Patch. For more information about creating components, see Chapter 4, Plans, in N1 Grid Service Provisioning System 5.0 Plan and Component Developer’s Guide.

Component Variables

installName

The name to use for the patch when it is installed. The default value is the name of the patch component.

installPath

The path on the target host where the patch will be downloaded.

rootDirectory

The path on the target host where the patch will be installed.

validateFiles

This variable enables you to supply the -u option to patchadd(1M) when the patch is added to the target host. The -u option turns off file validation.patchadd applies the patch even if some of the files to be patched have been modified since their original installation. Valid values are true and false.

patchID

This value is the ID of the patch.

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Note –

Changing the value of this variable might cause the patch deployment to fail.

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Component Procedures

default: install

Use this procedure to install a patch on a target system or systems.

markOnly: install

If you manually installed a patch on a target system or systems but want the provisioning system database to be aware that the patch is installed on those systems, use this procedure.

default: uninstall

Use this procedure to uninstall a patch from a target system or systems.

markOnly: uninstall

If you manually uninstalled a patch from a target system or systems but want the provisioning system database to be aware that the patch has been uninstalled from those systems, use this procedure.