Patch catalog - SUSE Linux Catalog

The SUSE Linux Catalog tab defines a number of options including locations (such as location of the source files, the repository, the signature file) as well as filters and whether local copies of the files are created on the target server or downloaded directly during deployment.

The following sections provide more information about the SUSE Linux Catalog tab:

• Catalog Mode
• Repository Options
• Filters

Catalog Mode

Select one of two options:

• Source from Vendor (Online Mode): Use this mode if the TrueSight Server Automation Application Server is installed on a server with Internet access.
• 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.

Repository Options

Enter the following information:

Filters

Filters limit the amount of information brought into the catalog. Use this procedure to re-create the same filters defined in the configuration file used by the Patch Downloader utility. You can define a filter during catalog creation or later, when editing the catalog.

There is no upper limit to the number of filter combinations you can create, but you must create at least one. Only those RPMs that match the combinations that you define (and their dependent RPMs) are added to the catalog.

To begin, you click Add Filter (as shown in the following figure), and then you provide values for the following options:

• OS Flavor: Select the combination operating system and architecture from the list provided.
• OS: The operating system, based on your selection in the OS Flavor box, is supplied automatically in a read-only box.
• Architecture: The architecture, based on your selected in the OS Flavor box, is supplied automatically in a read-only box. 
• OS Level: The operating system level of the files to be downloaded.

(Online Only) In Online mode, the SUSE filter XML file contains the following URLs for a combination of OS and Architecture: Online, Updates, and Pool. Depending on which updates need to be downloaded, select one or more of the following options:

• Update: The latest updates for the specified OS level. If you select the Updates option, you must ensure that your target is at the OS level for which you require the updates. For example, if you select the Update option for SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1, you must upgrade your target to SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1 before applying the updates.
• Online: Updates from the previous OS level to the specified OS level. You must use the Online option only when you want to bring your target from the existing OS level to the next OS level. For example, you must use the Online option if you want to bring your target from SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP2 to SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP3.

• Pool: All the updates until the specified OS level. For an OS-Architecture combination, if you require the updates from an OS level to the next or the latest OS level, you must use the Pool option. For example, you must use the Pool option if you want to bring your target from SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP1 to SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 SP4.

  Note: The Pool option includes the updates provided in the Online option, so selecting the Online option and the Pool option together is not required.

(Optional) On the Patch Global Configuration tab, you may also specify the SUSE override filters list file by performing the following steps:

• Import the file into the Depot workspace
• Point to this Depot path on the Patch Global Configuration tab.
  The drop-down list for Service Packs in the SUSE Linux Catalog tab displays only the service packs specified in the SUSE filters list file.
  

To update the channel_categories.xml

1. Navigate to the Configuration > Patch Global Configuration > SuSE Linux tab.

2. In the SuSE Service Packs List File field, click the button. Enter a name for the file to be downloaded, for example, channel_categories.xml.
   

   Important

   We recommend that you back up the channel_categories.xml file before upgrading. After you upgrade, go to the file server and manually move the channel_categories.xml file located at <fileserver location>\patch\GlobalConstants to a folder outside the file server. After moving the file, download the latest file from Patch Global Configuration.

3. Customize the channels in the exported channel_categories.xml file based on your requirement. For more information about how to customize using channel_categories.xml, click the following link:
   

   Customizing the channel_categories.xml file

   1. To get available channels from SUSE, run the offline Patch Downloader utility with the following command:
      
      sh suse_downloader.sh -listChannels
      
      A list will be displayed with OS, Arch, Name, Target details. 
   2. Find the details that you want to add to the filter list (for creating category). Refer to the list displayed in step 1.
   3. Customize the channel_categories.xml using the following tags:

   1. • suse-channels - (Root node) This is parent node in which each OS specific filter will be added.

      • suse-channel - This contains all the details about filters, like name, OS, architecture, service packs with level and repo name. Add a new channel tag for each arch. Specify repo type and sort order for each arch:

        <suse-channels>
           <suse-channel repo-type=”SMT” sort-order=”7”>

   1. • channel-name - This represents the name you want to display in the filter list.
      • channel-os - This represents the OS type.

      • channel-arch - This represents the architecture for the given OS:

        <suse-channels>
           <suse-channel repo-type=”SMT” sort-order=”7”>
               <channel-name>Suse Enterprise Linux 11 x86</channel-name>
               <channel-os>SLES11</channel-os>
               <channel-os>x86</channel-os>
                   <ServicePacks>

   1. • ServicePacks - This represents child nodes for the service pack and related information.
      • ServicePack - This represents SP level and repo names.
      • SP-level - This represents the service pack levels e.g. Base, SP1, SP2, etc.

      • repo-name - This represents the repo names applicable for the given OS, architecture and SP:

        <ServicePacks>
           <ServicePack>
               <SP-level>Base</SP-level>
               <repo-name>SLES11-Updates<repo-name>
               <repo-name>SLES11-Pool<repo-name>
               <repo-name>SLES11-Extras<repo-name>
           </ServicePack>
           <ServicePack>
               <SP-level>SP1</SP-level>
               <repo-name>SLES11-SP1-Pool<repo-name>
               <repo-name>SLES11-SP1-Updates<repo-name>
               <repo-name>SLES11-Extras<repo-name>
           </ServicePack>
4. Use the SuSE Service Packs List File field in the Global-Configuration-parameter-list to point to the modified file.
5. If you no longer want to use the customized channel_categories.xml file and use the default xml file, click to remove the customized file.