Proper patching method for Solaris

b1f30 · 08-12-2008, 08:49 AM

SOLUTION:

You'll want to download the Solaris patches from: http://sunsolve.sun.com/show.do?target=home - get yourself an account, and you'll want to at least download the 'Sun Alert Patch Cluster' for your OS, as well as the 'Recommended' patch archive, which usually has a generic title like '10_x86'. I downloaded each archive, put them in /tmp (my /tmp is huge on my servers), and proceeded to unzip them:

Code:

# cd /tmp
# unzip -q <nameofarchive.zip>

From there, you 'cd' into the new directory, and always read the *README files before you start. They have a lot of useful information, and will save you from countless hours of brain strain. You'll also need the passcode in the *README's to continue, so read it. :-p

Code:

# cd <nameofunzippedarchive>
# less *README*

After you're read the *README, it's usually a matter of running the installer script, which is something like:

Code:

# ./installer_xxx

Follow the instructions carefully, and write down what you're doing for sanity's sake.

Rebooted the server, the patches stuck. I ran the revision test to see which ones were applied. Quite a lot of them, and it took a long time to patch - 4+ hours. o_O

ORIGINAL POST:

All - I want to patch a 10 box with the latest/greatest. From this fun screenshot, I honestly have no idea where to start:

http://omploader.org/vbzVk

Steer a Solaris/patching n00b in the right direction here? Yes, I've RTFM'ed quite a bit, but the documentation simply has me running in circles. It's not clear which patch you're supposed to download, and why.

Thanks!

b1f30 · 08-12-2008, 11:36 AM

From the UNIX forums:

Quote:

"You have to choose the patch cluster for the specific OS. Patch cluster are the "recommended" patches.. which ae mandatory. extra patches can be download indivially as well, but you must know he dependencies. only the EIS dvd (from SUN/ SUN partners) will have the whole of extra patches. These will be updated every 3 months."

Will give this a try, and will post my explosive results once I'm done.

Wish me luck.

o_O

crisostomo_enrico · 08-12-2008, 11:48 AM

Yes. As stated in the README files of the last two patches clusters for Solaris 10, it should update your system to the patch level of the recently release Solaris 10 Update 5.

Good luck!