Patch Management User Guide for HP-UX 11.x Systems (5900-3011, April 2013)
Table Of Contents
- Patch Management User Guide for HP-UX 11.x Systems
- Contents
- 1 HP-UX patches and patch management
- 2 Quick start guide for patching HP-UX systems
- 3 HP-UX patch overview
- 4 Patch management overview
- Patch management life cycle
- HP service contracts
- Patch management and software change management strategies
- Establishing a software change management strategy
- Recommendations for software change management
- Consideration of HP patch rating
- Patch management and software depots
- Proactive patching strategy
- Reactive patching strategy
- Advanced topic: security patching strategy
- Advanced topic: scanning for security patches
- Testing the patches to be installed
- 5 What are standard HP-UX patch bundles?
- 6 Using the HP Support Center
- Obtaining an HPSC user account
- Useful pages on the HPSC
- Find individual patches
- Advanced topic: checking for special installation instructions
- Advanced topic: checking for all patch dependencies
- Standard patch bundles
- Custom patch bundles - run a patch assessment
- Support information digests
- Ask your peers in the forums
- Search knowledge base
- 7 Using software depots for patch management
- Common software distributor commands for patching
- Depot types
- Using depots
- Viewing depots
- Creating and adding to a directory depot
- Registering and unregistering directory depots
- Verifying directory depots
- Removing software from a directory depot
- Removing a directory depot
- Installing patches from a depot
- Custom patch bundles
- 8 Using HP-UX Software Assistant for patch management
- 9 Using Dynamic Root Disk for patch management
- 10 The Patch Assessment Tool
- 11 Support and other resources
- A Patch usage models
- Glossary
- Index
You can use the following swlist command to show the patch_state attribute for patch
patch_id:
swlist -a patch_state -x show_superseded_patches=true patch_id
It is important to note that the availability of a newer, superseding patch does not preclude the use
of the older patch. Depending on the circumstances, a superseded patch might be a better choice
than the patch superseding it. Older patches have had more exposure to varied, real-world use.
When they have been shown to induce no ill effects, they are generally safer than newer patches
that supersede them. Thus, if two patches in a supersession chain solve the problem you are facing,
you might find that the older patch is the better choice.
Because HP-UX patches are cumulative, a superseding patch negates the need for the previous
patch. As an example, patch PHSS_29377 delivers all the features and fixes of all other patches
shown in Figure 2: “HP-UX Patch Supersession Chain” (page 30). This patch will also satisfy any
dependencies on all patches in the supersession chain.
SD-UX does not allow you to install a patch that has been superseded by another patch already
installed on a system. Using Figure 2: “HP-UX Patch Supersession Chain” (page 30) as an example,
if you have patch PHSS_29377 installed on a system SD-UX will not allow you to install patch
PHSS_29323.
Patch supersession chains can be more complex than the one shown in Figure 2: “HP-UX Patch
Supersession Chain” (page 30).
Ancestors and supersession 29