Creating a patch catalog for AIX
Related BMC Communities article
BMC Customers using Automation for Patching use cases depend on OS vendors for Patches and metadata. To view a document that tracks the service status of the different OS Vendors as known to BMC Support, see the following BMC Communities document:
The patch catalog is used to maintain and work with the patch repository through the TrueSight Server Automation Console. For both types of repositories, online and offline, you create a patch catalog through the TrueSight Server Automation console. Patches are added to the catalog as depot objects according to filters defined for the catalog.
This topic describes how to set up a patch catalog for IBM AIX, and includes the following sections:
Step 1: Review prerequisites for the catalog
Review the following prerequisites for creating patch catalogs for AIX.
- Ensure that security policies on the repository server do not block the download of the catalog.
The SUMA command used in the SUMA download option, does not allow TrueSight Server Automation to configure a proxy server automatically. The proxy server must be manually configured by using the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT), which is recommended by IBM.
Ensure that the system you will use for the patch repository is supported by TrueSight Server Automation.
Step 2: Create the patch catalog
- Right-click a folder in the Depot and select New > Patch catalog > AIX Patch Catalog.
The New Patch Catalog dialog panel opens. Provide information for the patch catalog as described in the following table:
Panel section Description General Enter a Name for the patch catalog and a Description of its contents. Then, browse to the folder in which you want to store the catalog. Catalog options Define a number of options including locations (such as the location of the source files and the repository), as well as filters and whether local copies of the files are created on the target server or downloaded directly during deployment.
Catalog Mode
Select one of two options:
- Source from IBM Network (Online Mode): Use this mode if the TrueSight Server Automation Application Server is installed on a server with Internet access. Credentials are not required.
- Source from Disk Repository (Offline Mode): Use this mode in a secured environment where download occurs on a server, with Internet access, outside of the environment.
Download option
Select one of the two download options:
- Fixget: Use this mode if you want to download the AIX patches from Fixget servers.
SUMA: Use this mode if you want to download the AIX patches from Fix Central servers using IBM Service Update Management Assistance (SUMA).
Notes
- BMC recommends using, the latest, SUMA download option instead of the Fixget download option for AIX patching.
Before you use the SUMA download option, ensure that the repository server is running AIX 6 TL 6 or a later version and that it is configured with ECC.
The SUMA command used in the SUMA download option, does not allow TrueSight Server Automation to configure a proxy server automatically. The proxy server must be manually configured by using the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT), which is recommended by IBM.
Repository Options
Enter the following information:
Field
Description
Payload Source Location (NSH path)
Location where existing metadata and payload files are stored
Metadata files stored in this location are copied to the catalog automatically. Payload files are not copied to the catalog.Repository Location (NSH path)
NSH path to the location where the patch repository is located
BMC recommends that this location have ample free space. Repositories typically contain many files, usually totaling gigabytes of data.
(Offline Only)
Either this location must be hosted on an AIX platform, or the downloader must be run on an AIX platform. If both are not on AIX platforms, you cannot create an AIX patch catalog.
(Online Only)
This location must be hosted on an AIX platform.
Note: As you do not need to specify the URL of the patch files, the Payload Source Location (NSH path) option is dimmed.Note: When specifying a host within an NSH path, you can use either the host name of the IP address (IPv4 or IPv6).
Base Repository Location
Enter the following information:
Field
Description
Base Repository Location
NSH path to the location where base-level payload files are stored. Base-level payload files are not copied to the repository location.
Base Repository Network URL
URL of the location where base-level metadata and payload files are stored. Specifying a value for this field is optional if you have selected the Copy to agent at staging option for the Network URL Type For Payload Deployment field.
Notes:- If the patches that you require do not contain dependencies, you need not specify values for the Base Repository Location and Base Repository Network URL fields.
- For more information about how to upgrade or install AIX patches using the Base Repository Location and the Base Repository Network URL options, see Creating a patch catalog for AIX in online mode.
Note: When specifying a host within an NSH path, you can use either the host name of the IP address (IPv4 or IPv6).
OS Base Version
Version of the operating system (OS) for which you want to source Technology Levels, Service Packs, and so on. The SUMA download option is only supported on AIX 7.2, AIX 7.1, and AIX 6.1.
Filters
Filters limit the amount of information brought into the catalog. For an offline catalog, re-create the filters defined in the configuration file used by the download utility. Available filter types are as follows:
- By Update Level
- By Fix Type
- By Fix ID
Only patches that match the combinations you define are added to the catalog. You can define filters either when the catalog is created or later, when you edit the catalog. To begin, click Add Filter and select from the following:
Field
Description
By Update Level
Select either Technology Level or Service Pack (which includes Concluding Service packs). The corresponding list is enabled. You can include more than one Technology Level or Service Pack in the patch catalog.
Note:The list of available Technology Levels and Service Packs depends on a file downloaded from the vendor and stored on your server. To see the identifier list in the patch catalog, you must identify the location of the file in the AIX Updates List File box. For more information, see the AIX Updates List File field in Global configuration parameters list.By Fix Type
Select one of the following three fix types for a particular update level — All Latest Fixes, All Security Fixes, or All Critical Fixes. Only one Fix Type filter can be included in the patch catalog.
Note: The SUMA download option is only supported for the All Latest Fixes update level.
OS Level
Fixes of a particular type are downloaded for the Operating System Level defined here.
By Fix ID
Create an individual filter for a specific APAR or PTF. Multiple filters of this type are permitted in the patch catalog.
- Type: Select either APAR or PTF. Multiple filters of this type are permitted in the patch catalog.
- APAR Id/PTF Id: Enter the identifier for the APAR/PTF.
If the patch catalog contains this type of filter, you can create an Include/Exclude list as part of the analysis options for a Patching Job based on this patch catalog.
Note: The SUMA download option is only supported for PTF type of filters.
- In the bottom right corner, select Job options. (You can also edit the catalog at a later time to set these options).
Provide information for the patch catalog options as described in the following table:
Tab Description Schedules The Schedules panel lets you schedule a job to execute immediately, schedule a job at a specific time in the future, schedule a job on a recurring basis, and define notifications that are issued when a job runs.When scheduling a job, you can perform any of the following tasks:
- Scheduling a job that executes immediately — To schedule a job that executes immediately, select Execute job now.
- Scheduling a job — The Schedule tab lets you schedule a job so it can run one time, recur hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly, or recur at some arbitrary interval. For more information, see Patch catalog - Scheduling.
- Defining job notifications — The Job Notifications tab lets you set up notifications that are generated when a scheduled job runs. For more information, see Patch catalog - Scheduled Job Notifications.
Job Run Notifications The Default Notifications panel provides options for defining default notifications that are generated when a job completes. If you have set up notifications for a particular scheduled job, those notifications are generated instead of default notifications.
Default notifications can take the form of emails or SNMP traps. When a job completes, an SNMP trap is sent to a specified server, where it can be read using software that receives and interprets SNMP traps. Default notifications are sent when you run a job immediately (that is, you do not schedule the job) or a scheduled job completes but you have not set up email or SNMP notifications for that scheduled occurrence.
Job Run Notifications
Field Description Send email to Lists email addresses of the accounts to notify when a job completes with the status that you specify. Separate multiple email addresses with semicolons, such as sysadmin@bmc.com;sysmgr@bmc.com. After entering email address information, select the statuses that cause an email to be generated. The statuses can be Success, Failed, or Aborted.Send SNMP trap to Provides name or IP address of the server to notify when the job completes. After entering server information, select the statuses that should cause an SNMP trap to be generated. The statuses can be Success, Failed, or Aborted.
TrueSight Server Automation provides a management information base (MIB) that describes its SNMP trap structure. You can use this MIB to create scripts that integrate traps into your trap collection system. The MIB is located on the Application Server host computer at installDirectory/Share/BladeLogic.mib.
Depot Object Options Network URL Type for Payload Deployment
- (default) Copy to agent at staging: The TrueSight Server Automation Application Server copies patch payloads to a staging directory on the target server during the Deploy Job staging phase.
- Agent mounts source for direct use at deployment (no local copy): A Deploy Job instructs the agent on a target server to: mount the device specified in the URl and deploy patch payloads directly to the agent. The Deploy Job does not copy patch payloads to a staging area on the agent, so the job does not create any local copies of the patches on target servers.
Network URL for Payload Deployment
The value entered here depends on your selection in the Network URL Type for Payload Deployment box:
- If you chose Copy to agent at staging, do not enter a value here. The value is autopopulated based on the repository location.
- If you chose Agent mounts source for direct use at deployment (no local copy), enter the NFS-accessible path to the location of the payload.
If you specify the host in this path as an IPv6 address, enclose the IPv6 address in square brackets.
RBAC Policy
Browse to and select a predefined ACL Policy. Permissions defined by the ACL Policy are assigned to all Depot objects created in the catalog.
Max Deport Object Work Items to Process in Parallel
Maximum number of work items that can be performed in parallel.
Job Properties The Properties panel provides a list of properties automatically assigned to a Snapshot Job. In this list, you can modify the value of any properties that are defined as editable.
For any property that has a check in the Editable column, select the property and click in the Value column.
- To set a property value back to its default value, click Reset to Default Value
.
The value of the property is reset to the value it inherits from a built-in property class. The Value Source column shows the property class from which the value is inherited. - Depending on the type of property you are editing, you can take different actions to set a new value, such as entering an alphanumeric string, choosing from an enumerated list, or selecting a date.
To insert a parameter into the value, enter the value, bracketed with double question mark delimiters (for example,??MYPARAMETER??) or click Select Property
.
Permissions Using the Permissions panel, you can add individual permissions to an object. You can also set permissions by adding ACL templates or ACL policies. The Permissions list is an access control list (ACL) granting roles access to any objects created in the system, such as depot objects. ACLs control access to all objects, including the sharing of objects between roles. For more information, see the following table:Task Description Adding an authorization
An authorization grants permission to a role to perform a certain type of action on this object.
To add authorization to this object, click Add Entry
in the Access Control List area. Then use the Add New Entry dialog box to specify the role and authorization you want to add.Adding an ACL template
An ACL template is a group of predefined authorizations granted to roles. Using an ACL template, you can add a group of authorizations to the object.
To add an ACL template to the object, click Use ACL Template
in the Access Control List area. Then use the Select ACL Template dialog box to specify an ACL template that you want to add to this object.To set the contents of the selected ACL templates so that they replace all entries in the access control list, select Replace ACL with selected templates. If you do not select this option, the contents of the selected ACL templates are appended to existing entries in the access control list.
Adding an ACL policy
An ACL policy is a group of authorizations that can be applied to this object but can be managed from one location.
To add an ACL policy to this object, click Use ACL Policy
in the ACL Policies area. Then use the Select ACL Policy dialog box to specify an ACL policy that you want to add to the object.To set the contents of the selected ACL policies so they replace all entries in the access control list, select Replace ACL with selected policies. If you do not select this option, the contents of the selected ACL policies are appended to existing entries in the access control list.
Click Finish.
A Patch Catalog is stored in the appropriate Depot folder.
Editing the options
- In the Depot, right-click the AIX Patch Catalog you just created.
- Select Open.
Set or update any information for the patch catalog options.
When finished, save the catalog.
Comments