Introduction to Managing OS Updates

After you have installed an OS on a provisionable server, the N1 System Manager enables you to install OS updates. These OS updates consist of Solaris packages and patches and Linux RPMs.

For Solaris packages or patches, you can issue an optional parameter to install the updates by using a script. This parameter is useful for installation of a set of packages or patches that have dependencies. Use the create update command with the installscriptfile parameter to specify the script. See Example 3–16 for an example script and sample command syntax.

Installing OS updates on servers for the first time involves the following four-step process when you use the N1 System Manager:

1. Downloading the OS update.

2. Copying the OS update to the N1 System Manager

   The N1 System Manager must have system access to the OS update before the update can be installed on the provisionable servers.

   By using the create update command, you can import an OS update from a web site or an accessible file system on the management server. After an OS update is imported, you can display the update in the browser interface's Shortcuts pane, or you can use the show update command.

3. Verifying that the OS update was copied by displaying the Shortcut in the browser interface or by using the show update command.

4. Installing the OS update on the appropriate provisionable servers by using the browser interface or the load server or load group commands. The provisionable servers must have the base management feature supported.

OS update installations behave differently for every operating system because the native package installation mechanisms are used. For example, if a Solaris package is already installed on the target server, the installation might succeed without reporting an error. However, this same scenario for a Linux RPM results in an error message indicating that the package is already installed.

See OS Update Problems for troubleshooting information.