Specifying the Source of Patches

When you use Patch Manager, your client systems and any local patch servers must have access to Solaris patches and patch data.

Both client systems and local patch servers can obtain patches from these sources:

• Patch server – A server that provides access to Solaris patches and patch data. A patch server can be a local patch server on your intranet or the Sun patch server.

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  Note –

  The local patch server is an optional Sun Patch Manager 2.0 feature that you can obtain at no charge if you are a contract customer in the SunSpectrum program.

  For information about becoming a contract customer or obtaining the local patch server distribution, go to http://sunsolve.sun.com and click Patch Portal.

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• Local collection of patches – A collection of patches and patch data that is stored in a directory available to the local system. Such a directory might be a local directory, a shared network directory, or a CD mounted on your local system.

The default source of patches for client systems and local patch servers is the Sun patch server. As a result, any client system or local patch server that obtains patches from the Sun patch server must be connected, either directly or through a web proxy, to the Internet.

You can use a combination of local patch servers and different patch sources to configure these patch management environments.

Clients access patches and patch data from the following sources:

• Sun patch server – Your client systems obtain patches from the Sun patch server.

  This configuration requires that your client systems are connected, directly or through a web proxy, to the Internet.

• Local patch server obtains patches from the Sun patch server – Your client systems obtain patches from a local patch server on your intranet. The local patch server obtains patches from the Sun patch server.

  This configuration requires that only the local patch server be connected, directly or through a web proxy, to the Internet.

• Local collection of patches – Your client systems obtain patches and patch data from a collection of patches on your local system.

  This configuration does not require that the client systems be connected to the Internet.

• Local patch server obtains patches from a local collection of patches – Your client systems are connected to a local patch server, which obtains patches and patch data from a collection of patches on the local patch server.

  This configuration does not require that the client systems and local patch server be connected to the Internet.

For instructions on specifying the source of patches for your client system, see How to Specify the Source of Patches (Web Browser) or How to Specify the Source of Patches (Command Line).

For instructions on specifying the source of patches for your local patch server, see How to Change Configuration Settings for Your Local Patch Server (Command Line).