RHEL 4 up2date

has someone ever update their servers using up2date? I already got my server listed in the up2date redhat network and there is security updates and so on. the thing is I would like to know, whether is there any steps on to download it in 1 server and apply it to the other servers?? so something like get the file and run it on the other servers, any guidance for doing the update on redhat servers? Thanks.

Download your updates on one server. They get downloaded to /var/spool/up2date. Each package has .hdr and .rpm file. Once done, copy files over to your other servers (or to some network share).

Then run

up2date -k 
or 
up2date --packagedir

There is a way to edit etc/sysconfig/rhn/sources and point it to /your/local/directory, but I'm not sure how "exactly" to do that.

HTH,
Nitin

oh so you suggesting me to download it from one server and copy that file and move it to other servers? ok..

I found the command

Install local packages solving and satisfying dependencies as needed
up2date -k <dir>[:<dir>...]

can someone explain it to me the meaning of <dir>[:<dir>...]

<dir> supposed to be the file directory path that I just downloaded right? but what about the [:<dir>...]

I did not understand that.. does it mean I need to specify the directory location where I'm gonna install those packages that I just downloaded?

Thanks.

That is just for if you put packages in more than one directory. As long as you keep them all together you don't have to care about that part.