Installation guide

Collect Patch Assessment Data from UNIX and Linux Machines
Collect UNIX and Linux patch assessment data using bulletins, an assessment template, or the Collect
wizard.
n
Bulletins: Collect patching data using the Patch Assessment collection filter. Because UNIX and Linux
assessments are VCMcollections, you can schedule these assessments.
n
Assessment template: Collect patching data using a template that filters the patch assessment results.
n
Collect wizard: Collect patching data using the Patch Assessment Data Class filter.
NOTE Assessments of UNIX and Linux machines operate differently from Windows assessments. UNIX
and Linux assessments require you to collect new data. Windows assessments are performed against
previously collected data.
VCM Patching runs assessments of UNIX and Linux machines against the patches that VMware knows at
the time when VCM Patching performs the assessment.
Patch assessments of UNIX and Linux machines are based on the OS version and machine architecture.
When you collect assessment data using templates, you must match the bulletins, either 32-bit or 64-bit, to
the machine architecture.
If machine data has not been collected, the assessment results might not appear and the machine will not
be available for deployment. A patch-machine mismatch status results. You can display or hide the patch-
machine mismatch status. Click Administration and select Settings > General Settings > Patching >
UNIX > Settings > Bulletin and Update.
Prerequisites
n
Confirm that assessments finished successfully.
n
Verify that the patch signature files (.pls files) exist on the Collector.
The .pls files determine whether required patches are installed on the machine. By default, VCM
Patching downloads the .pls files every 4 hours.
Patch files appear in the Console. Click Console and select UNIX > Security > Patches > Assessment or
Console > Change Management > Non VCM Initiated > By Machine. During an assessment of the
machines using the Patch Assessment Data Class, the .pls files are sent from the Collector to the
machine. A delay might occur during this process.
n
Verify that the VCM Agent is installed on the UNIX or Linux machine.
n
Verify that you have preconfigured filters if you choose Filters in the following procedure. See "Create
UNIX and Linux Patch Assessment Filters" on page 148.
The following procedure runs the assessment using patch bulletins.
Procedure
1. On the toolbar, select the All UNIXMachines machine group.
2. Click Patching
3. Select UNIX/Linux Platform > Bulletins > By Bulletin.
4. Select Assess.
5. In the UNIX Patch Assessment wizard, select Default Filter or Filters.
If you selected Filters, you must select a specific filter.
6. Click Next and Finish to begin the assessment on all machines in the selected machine group.
Patching Managed Machines
VMware, Inc.
147