1. Managing Software in Oracle Linux
  2. Configuring a System to Use ULN

3 Configuring a System to Use ULN

After you install Oracle Linux on a system, by default the system uses the public Oracle Linux yum server as the source for the system's repository needs. However, you also have the option to configure the system to use ULN, which requires that you register the system with ULN.

To see the differences between the yum server and ULN, see Comparing ULN and Yum Servers.

How to Register a System With ULN

Registering a system with ULN provides an advantage of obtaining access to extra software packages that aren't available in the public Oracle Linux yum server.

To register with ULN, the following requirements must be met:
  • You must be an Oracle Linux Support customer with a valid Customer Support Identifier (CSI) and a Single Sign-On (SSO) account.
  • The system user account must have system administrator privileges.
  • Systems behind a firewall must have outbound access to linux-update.oracle.com through port 443. If the outbound firewall doesn't support adding exceptions for hostnames, then use the IP address 138.1.51.46.
This task provides steps to register with ULN by using either the command line or the desktop graphical user interface.
  1. Access the ULN registration form.

    • Using the command line.

    1. Verify that the rhn-setup package is installed.
      sudo dnf list rhn-setup

      If the package isn't installed, type:

      sudo dnf install rhn-setup
    2. Access the ULN registration form.
      uln_register
    3. Provide the credentials as prompted.

      The Set Up Software Updates window is displayed.

    • Using the desktop graphical user interface

    1. On the desktop, select Activities, then search for ULN Registration.
    2. Click the ULN Registration shortcut icon.
    3. Provide the credentials as prompted.

      The Set Up Software Updates window is displayed.

  2. Click Next.
  3. Provide the ULN username, password, and customer support identifier (CSI).
  4. Enter a ULN name for the system.
  5. Choose whether to upload hardware and software profile data that enable ULN to select the appropriate packages for the system.
  6. If you have an Oracle Linux Support account and the system is running an appropriate kernel, configure a system to receive kernel updates from Oracle Ksplice.

    This step installs and enables the dnf-plugin-spacewalk and rhn-client-tools packages and subscribes the system to the appropriate software channels.

    If you use a proxy server for Internet access, see Configuring a System to Use a Proxy for ULN.

    For information about registering to use Ksplice, see Oracle Linux: Ksplice User's Guide.

Configuring a System to Use a Proxy for ULN

If you use the yum plugin (yum-rhn-plugin) to access ULN, specify the enableProxy and httpProxy settings in /etc/sysconfig/rhn/up2date as shown in this example. 

enableProxy=1
httpProxy=http://proxysvr.example.com:3128

If the proxy server requires authentication, also specify the enableProxyAuth, proxyUser, and proxyPassword settings. 

enableProxy=1
httpProxy=http://proxysvr.example.com:3128
enableProxyAuth=1
proxyUser=user
proxyPassword=password

Caution:

All dnf users require read access to /etc/dnf/dnf.conf or /etc/sysconfig/rhn/up2date. If these files must be world-readable, don't use a proxy password that's the same as any user's login password, and especially not root's password.

How to Manage a System's Channel Subscriptions

Subscribing a system to ULN channels causes the system to automatically receive package updates when these become available on those channels.

Ensure that the system is registered with ULN. See How to Register a System With ULN.
You use the ULN web console to subscribe to channels or removing channel subscriptions for a system.
  1. Log in to https://linux.oracle.com with the appropriate ULN user name and password.
  2. (Optional) View the available channels to which you can subscribe the system.
    1. Click the Channels tab.
    2. Use the Release and Architecture drop-downs to limit the listing to a particular OS release and architecture.
  3. Manage the system's subscription information.
    1. Click the Systems tab and from the list of registered machines, select the system whose subscriptions you want to manage.
    2. On the System Details page, click Manage Subscriptions.
    3. On the System Summary page, select channels from the list of available or subscribed channels and click the arrows to move the channels between the lists.
      Moving channels between the available list and the subscribed list either adds or removes a channel subscription.

      Caution:

      Unsubscribing from the _latest channel can make the system vulnerable to security-related issues. We recommend that you always keep the system subscribed to the _latest channel.
  4. After you have finished selecting channels, click Save Subscriptions.

How to Change System Details in ULN

Change system information updates and keep the system's registration information current in ULN.

The system must be registered to the username with which you connect to ULN. Otherwise, you can not complete this task.
To complete this task, use the ULN web console.
  1. Sign in to https://linux.oracle.com with the appropriate ULN username and password.
  2. On the Systems tab, click the link named for the system in the list of registered machines.
  3. On the System Details page, click Edit.
  4. On the Edit System Properties page, you can change the name that's associated with the system, register the system as a local yum server for other systems, or change the CSI with which the system is registered.
  5. After completing the changes, click Apply Changes.

How to Remove a System From ULN

Unregistering a system from ULN removes the system from automatically receiving package updates.

The system must be registered to the username with which you connect to ULN. Otherwise, you can not complete this task.
Remove a system from ULN if you prefer to have control over how and when to update the system's packages. You use the ULN web console to complete these steps.
  1. Log in to https://linux.oracle.com with the appropriate ULN username and password.
  2. On the Systems tab, click the link named for the system in the list of registered machines.
  3. On the System Details page, click Delete.
  4. To confirm the deletion, click OK.
  5. Disable the system's automatic updates from ULN.

    Edit the /etc/dnf/plugins/spacewalk.conf file by changing the value of enabled option to 0 as shown: 

    [main]
enabled = 0
gpgcheck = 1
timeout = 120
  6. Subscribe the system to the appropriate yum repositories on the Oracle Linux yum server or an appropriate mirror to receive software updates for bug fixes and security patches.