Installation guide

Table Of Contents
Procedure
1. Download and install the latest version of Java and the Oracle Java Cryptography Extension (JCE),
which is used for Software Content Repository (SCR) Tool password encryption.
2. Install the VCM 5.7 Linux Agent on the patching repository machine. See the VCM online help.
3. Install and configure the service that supports the desired communication method used by the
managed machines.
4. Configure the communication protocol.
What to do next
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Download the Software Content Repository (SCR) Tool 5.0. See "Download the Software Content
Repository Tool" on page 159.
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Configure the SCR Tool. See "Configure the SCR Tool" on page 160.
Communication Protocols to Stage Linux and UNIX Patches
VCM supports patching managed machines in distributed environments, either geographically or
separated by firewalls. VCM uses a single Red Hat Linux patching repository machine that has the
Software Content Repository (SCR) Tool installed. The distributed patching configuration can include one
or more Red Hat Linux alternate location machines to store the patches for deployment to managed
machines.
Before you copy Linux and UNIX patches from the patching repository machine to alternate location
machines or to target managed machines, you must configure the protocols to enable the communication
between the patching repository, alternate locations, and managed machines. The copy operations use
several protocols.
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For the patching repository to copy patches to alternate locations, use SFTP, SCP, FTP, NFS, or a
premounted file system.
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For target managed machines to retrieve the patch files from the patching repository, use HTTPS,
HTTP, FTP, NFS, or a premounted file system.
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For target managed machines to retrieve the patch files from the alternate locations, use HTTP, NFS,
HTTPS, FTP, or a premounted file system.
You can configure HTTP, FTP, and other supported protocols on the Red Hat Linux patching repository
and alternate location machines.
CAUTION When you use HTTP or HTTPS to stage patches from the patching repository to Solaris
managed machines, the staging action might consume all of the swap space in /tmp, to the full file
size of the patch, which might be an issue on production machines.
For more information to configure the protocols, see http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2051632.
Download the Software Content Repository Tool
The Software Content Repository (SCR) Tool is a standalone Java software application that is installed on
the patching repository machine. VCM uses the SCR Tool to download Linux and UNIX patches from OS
vendor Web sites to the patching repository, and deploys these patches to Linux and UNIX managed
machines.
To obtain Linux and UNIX patches from vendor Web sites, download the SCR Tool from the Download
VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Web site.
Patching Managed Machines
VMware, Inc.
159