Installation guide

Chapter 6.
Importing and Synchronizing
After installing the RHN Satellite Server, you must provide it the packages and channels to be served.
This chapter explains how to import that data and keep it up-to-date.
6.1. RHN Satellite Synchronization Tool
With the Satellite installation, Red Hat Network provides an application designed specifically to im-
port and synchronize data - the RHN Satellite Synchronization Tool. This tool, which comes with the
rhns-satellite-tools package, enables an RHN Satellite Server to update its database metadata
and RPM packages with that of Red Hat. To launch it, as root execute the command:
satellite-sync
The tool can be used in a closed environment, such as the one created with a disconnected install,
or it may obtain data directly over the Internet. For disconnected importing and synchronization,
local media in the form of Red Hat Network Channel Content ISOs are required. After installing and
mounting the discs, the sole difference in use will be the addition of the --mount-point option and
path to the files appended to every command. This will be covered in more detail in a moment.
6.1.1. Import/Sync Steps
The RHN Satellite Synchronization Tool works incrementally, or in steps. For it to obtain Errata
information, it must first know the packages contained. For the packages to be updated, the tool must
first identify the associated channel(s). For this reason, the RHN Satellite Synchronization Tool
performs its actions in the following order:
1. channel-families — Import/synchronize channel family (architecture) data.
2. channels — Import/synchronize channel data.
3. rpms — Import/synchronize RPMs.
4. packages — Import/synchronize full package data for those RPMs retrieved successfully.
5. errata — Import/synchronize Errata information.
Each of these steps can be initiated individually for testing purposes with the effect of forcing the tool
to stop when that step is complete. All steps that precede it, however, will have taken place. Therefore,
calling the rpms step will automatically ensure the channels and channel-families steps take
place first. To initiate an individual step, use the --step, like so:
satellite-sync --step=rpms
6.1.2. Import/Sync Options
In addition to --step the RHN Satellite Synchronization Tool offers many other command line
options. To use them, insert the option and the appropriate value after the satellite-sync command
when launching import/synchronization.