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Adding and Updating Software in Oracle® Solaris 11.3

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Updated: September 2018
 
 

Using Update Manager

Update Manager updates all installed packages to the newest version allowed by the constraints imposed on the system by installed package dependencies and publisher configuration. This function is the same as the following functions:

  • In the Package Manager GUI, selecting the Updates button or the Package→Updates menu option.

  • Using the packagemanager command.

    $ packagemanager --update-all
  • Using the pkg command.

    $ pkg update

Start Update Manager in one of the following ways:

Status bar

When updates are available, you should see a notification in the status bar. Click where indicated in the notification. The Update Manager icon is a stack of three boxes.

Menu bar

Select System→Administration→Update Manager.

Command line

$ pm-updatemanager

Automated

The Update Manager package, package/pkg/update-manager, delivers the cron job /usr/lib/update-manager/update-refresh.sh.

30 0,9,12,18,21 * * * /usr/lib/update-manager/update-refresh.sh

When the SMF service svc:/application/pkg/update is online, this cron job checks periodically for updated packages available from configured publishers (the first two steps of the following process). If updated packages are available, you receive a notification in your desktop toolbar. Select the notification icon to open the Update Manager GUI.

The Updates window displays, and the update process starts.

  1. The system refreshes all catalogs.

  2. The system evaluates all installed packages to determine which packages have updates available.

    • If no packages have updates available, the message “No Updates Available” is displayed and processing stops.

    • If package updates are available, the packages to be updated are listed for your review. This is your last chance to click the Cancel button to abort the update.

    Click the Proceed button to continue with the update.

  3. The system downloads and installs all package updates.

    The following packages are updated first if they have updates available. Then any other packages are updated.

    package/pkg
    package/pkg/package-manager
    package/pkg/update-manager

    By default, each package is updated from the publisher from which it was originally installed. If the original publisher is non-sticky, then a newer version of the package that is compatible with this image could be installed from another publisher. Use the Package Manager Manage Publishers window or the pkg set-publisher command to set a publisher as sticky or non-sticky.

    If an error occurs at any time during the update process, the Details panel expands and the details of the error are displayed. An error status indicator is shown next to the failed stage.

  4. A new BE might be created, depending on which packages are updated and depending on your image policy.

    If the system created a new BE for the update, you can edit the default BE name.

    You must restart to boot into the new BE. The new BE will be your default boot choice. Your current BE will be available as an alternate boot choice.

    • Click the Restart Now button to restart your system immediately.

    • Click the Restart Later button to restart your system at a later time.

Update Manager Command Line Options

The following options are supported for the pm-updatemanager(1) command.

Table 7  Update Manager Command Options
Option
Description
--image-dir or -R dir
Operate on the image rooted at dir. The default behavior is to operate on the current image.
The following command updates the image at /aux0/example_root:
$ pm-updatemanager -R /aux0/example_root
--help or -h
Display command usage information.