Tuning Your Update Management Environment by Using the GUI (Task Map)

The following table identifies the optional tasks that you might perform when you use the GUI to tune the update management environment for your system.

If you want to use the smpatch command to tune your update management environment, see the smpatch(1M) man page.

How to Change Update Directory Locations (GUI)

This procedure describes how to specify alternative locations for the download directory, the backout data directory, or both. By default, the download directory is /var/sadm/spool.

1. Access the Update Manager GUI.

   See How to Access the Update Manager Application (GUI).

2. Choose Preferences from the File menu.

   The Configuration screen of the Preferences dialog box appears.

3. In the Directories section, specify alternative directory locations, as applicable.

   • Type the alternative location for the download directory in the Download Directory field.

   • Type the alternative location for the backout data directory in the Backout Data Directory field.

4. Click OK to set one or both of these values, and to dismiss the dialog box.

   Click Cancel to discard the values you set, and to dismiss the dialog box.

How to Enable a Daily Analysis of Updates (GUI)

By default, an automatic update analysis is performed one time each day. The analysis uses the source of updates you specified. Only the updates that you are permitted to access, based on the system registration and subscription key, are listed on the Available Updates screen after an analysis operation.

1. Access the Update Manager GUI.

   See How to Access the Update Manager Application (GUI).

2. Choose Preferences from the File menu.

   The Configuration screen of the Preferences dialog box appears.

3. Click Notification.

   The Notification screen of the Preferences dialog box appears.

4. In the Updates Analysis section, specify whether to perform an automatic update analysis on your system.

   • To enable the automatic analysis operation, select Run Updates Analysis Daily (Recommended).

   • To disable the automatic analysis operation, select Do Not Run Updates Analysis.

5. Click OK to set this value, and to dismiss the dialog box.

   Click Cancel to discard the value you set, and to dismiss the dialog box.

How to Reassign Your System to a Different Sun Online Account (GUI)

Perform this procedure after you have registered your system.

1. Access the Update Manager GUI.

   See How to Access the Update Manager Application (GUI).

2. Choose Manage Subscription from the File menu.

   The Add Subscription dialog box appears.

3. Supply the information for the other Sun Online Account.

   1. Type the other user name in the User Name field.

   2. Type the password in the Password field.

4. (Optional) Type your subscription key in the Key field.

5. Click Finish to store the changes, and to dismiss the dialog box.

   Click Cancel to discard the changes, and to dismiss the registration wizard.

How to Display the Notification Icons and Menu on Your GNOME Desktop (GUI)

The Icon Legend Window lists the icons used by Update Manager and lists a brief description of each.

The five icons towards the bottom of the Icon Legends Window appear only on the GNOME desktop and enable you to access the Update Manager GUI and the Sun Update Connection Hosted web application. You can also use these icons to obtain additional information about the updates that are available for the system. Right-click the icon to view the menu choices that are linked to each notification icon. Left-click the icon to start the Update Manager application.

The following list contains a description of each of the GNOME desktop icons:

• Red symbol with a lock. Indicates that new security updates are available for this system. This icon only appears if your system is registered and you have an Update Manager subscription. You must also have the daily system analysis enabled to get this notification. From the icon menu, you can start the Update Manager application and go to the Sun Update Connection System web site.

• Yellow symbol with a plus mark. Indicates that new updates are available, but none are security updates. You must have the daily system analysis enabled to get this notification. From the icon menu, you can start the Update Manager application and go to the Sun Update Connection System web site.

• Green symbol with a star. Indicates that updates are available but no new updates have been detected for the system. Note that you might see this state indicator if you disabled the daily update analysis. From the icon menu, you can start the Update Manager application and go to the Sun Update Connection System web site.

• Grey symbol with a dash. Indicates that no updates are available. All updates have been viewed and installed on the system. From the icon menu, you can start the Update Manager application and go to the Sun Update Connection System web site.

• Blue symbol with a question mark. Indicates that the system is not registered. From the icon menu, you can open the registration wizard and learn more about the Update Manager and Sun Update Connection System tools.

1. Access the Update Manager GUI.

   See How to Access the Update Manager Application (GUI).

2. Choose Preferences from the File menu.

   The Configuration screen of the Preferences dialog box appears.

3. Click Notification.

   The Notification screen of the Preferences dialog box appears.

4. In the Notification Icon and Menu section, specify whether to display the notification icon and menu.

   • To view the Notification Icon and Menu, select Display Notification Icon and Menu. To enable this feature, select Run Updates Analysis Daily from the Updates Analysis section of the Notification dialog box.

   • If you do not want Updates Analysis to run in the background, select Do not run Updates Analysis. Selecting this option prevents you from displaying the notification icon and menu.

   • To disable this feature, deselect Display Notification Icon and Menu.

5. Click Apply to set the value, and save your selection.

   ---

   Note –

   The Notification icon is enabled only if the GNOME panel is running. The Notification icon will not display if the Update Manager application is running remotely.

   ---

6. Click OK to dismiss the dialog box or click Cancel to discard the value you set, and to dismiss the dialog box.