Documentation update To provide a better user experience, we have now created a separate documentation space for BMC Helix Automation Console (previously called BMC Helix Vulnerability Management). Users of BMC Helix Automation Console can find the latest documentation at BMC Helix Automation Console..

Working with catalogs

This topic provides instructions on adding, editing, enabling, disabling, and removing patch catalogs. 

To understand the concept of patch catalogs, see Catalogs. 

Adding catalogs 

On the Administration > Manage Catalogs page, click Add Catalog and do the following:

  1. Click Browse to select a catalog. 
    The list shows the supported catalogs available in Server Automation. 
    If you select any Microsoft Windows catalog, by default, the catalog update schedule is set to every second Wednesday of a month since Microsoft updates its patches every second Tuesday of the month. 
  2. In the Catalog Schedule section, specify a schedule for the catalog. 
    • Daily: Click the clock icon in the Time field, and specify the time.
    • Weekly: 
      1. From the Recur Every list, select the number of weeks after which the catalog should be updated. 
      2. Click the clock icon in the Time field, and specify the time.
      3. Specify the days of the week when the schedule should run.

    • Monthly: Click the clock icon in the Time field, specify the time, and then specify one of these options:

      • Select a frequency (first, second, third, or fourth) and the day of the week.
      • Specify the day in every month when the schedule should run. 
      • Select the last day of every month.  

      Can I schedule a catalog update in another timezone?

      No. Automation Console shows the browser time zone. You can only schedule catalog updates in the local time zone.

      The schedule summary is displayed. Any schedule set in Automation Console overwrites the schedule set in TrueSight Server Automation. Before creating any patch policies, ensure that the catalog is updated in Automation Console.

After you save the catalog, it is enabled, and appears on the Manage Catalogs page. 

Note

You must add catalogs after adding security groups in Automation Console. Users in the security groups that are added after importing catalogs will not be able to access existing catalogs. If you add a security group after adding a catalog, edit and update the earlier catalogs.

Viewing a list of catalogs

On the Administration > Manage Catalogs page, you can view all the catalogs imported from Server Automation and view the following information: 

  • The Windows and Linux tabs show the catalogs based on the operating system.
  • The Operating System and Operating System Vendor columns provide additional information about the imported catalogs. For example, if a SuSE catalog is added, the operating system shows Linux and the vendor name appears as SuSE. 
  • Catalog synchronization (with the catalog in TrueSight Server Automation) status is displayed in the Sync Status column.
    Actions are disabled for catalogs for which synchronization is in progress and not complete. 
  • In the Last Updated column, a green ✅️ shows that the last update is successful. A ❌️ indicates that there is a problem and the catalog is not updated. 

Editing and updating catalogs

You can only edit the schedule of a catalog.

On the Administration > Manage Catalogs page, do the following:

  1. Select the catalog and click Actions > Edit.
  2. In the Catalog Schedule section, update the schedule and save changes.
    The catalog is updated with the new schedule. Any schedule set in Automation Console overwrites the schedule set in TrueSight Server Automation. 
  3. New in 20.02.01 If you need to update a catalog irrespective of the schedule, select the catalog and click Actions > Update. 
    A message is displayed that informs you that it may take some time to update the catalog. The catalog is updated in TrueSight Server Automation and the latest version is available in Automation Console. 

Synchronizing catalogs

New in 20.02.01

If a catalog is updated in TrueSight Server Automation and you only want to ensure that the updated catalog is synchronized with the catalog imported in Automation Console, then perform a sync action to ensure that you are using the updated catalog. 

On the Administration > Manage Catalogs page, select the catalog and click Actions > Sync.
The latest updated catalog changes are now available. This action does not update the catalog in TrueSight Server Automation. 

Is it mandatory to perform a sync action after updating the catalog in Server Automation?

Yes, if you update the catalog in TrueSight Server Automation, you must perform Sync, else patch management is performed based on the existing data in the catalog.

Disabling, enabling, or removing catalogs

When you create a catalog, it is enabled by default. If you want, you can disable it, and enable it again later. However, before removing a catalog, you must ensure that the policies created using the catalog are removed. 

On the Administration > Manage Catalogs page, do any of the following:

  • Select a catalog and click Action > Disable.
    Disabled catalogs remain in the Automation Console, but are not updated according to the schedule. 
  • Select a catalog and click Action > Enable.
  • Select a catalog and click Action > Remove.
    A catalog is removed only from the Automation Console. It continues to exist in TrueSight Server Automation.

 

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