Managing an RPM Package

The RPM Package Manager (RPM) is a powerful command line driven package management system capable of installing, uninstalling, verifying, querying, and updating computer software packages. Each software package consists of an archive of files information about the package like its version, a description, and the like. There is also a related API, permitting advanced developers to bypass 'shelling out' to a command line, and to manage such transactions from within a native coding language. RPM is commonly found in the Linux computer operating system environment, but was extended far beyond those initial confines.

How does the RPM Package work?

The BMC Client Management - Software Distribution Packager includes a specific node to wrap RPM packages and installer options into a new package containing all necessary installation information. The agents on the remote computers can perform an RPM package installation with those options. The following diagram explains the rpm distribution process: