How to update Redhat packages to a given point in time not to the latest

unixmania · 11-11-2011, 04:36 AM

Hi
I have to update packages on Redhat 4 and 5 servers to a certain point in time ie update the systems to say the latest packages available as at 31st Aug 2011. I don't need to update to the latest ones where I can easliy use yum (for redhat 5) and up2date (for redhat 4)? Anyone can help?

unSpawn · 11-11-2011, 05:53 AM

Try querying downloaded but not yet installed packages for where build time is less than or equal to your local representation of 2011-08-31?

Example:

Code:

# Clean cache:
yum -y clean all
# Cache packages by only downloading them but you could also mirror a repo:
yum -y --update --downloadonly
# Set date limit as epoch:
USEDATE=$(date --date="2011-08-31" +%s)
# Find packages and query custom format:
find /var/cache/yum/ -type f -iname \*.rpm -exec rpm -qp '{}' --qf="%{NAME} %{BUILDTIME}\n" \; \
| while read PACKAGE EPOCH; do [ $EPOCH -le $USEDATE ] && echo $PACKAGE; done

...still feels a bit kludgy though.

unixmania · 11-11-2011, 07:23 PM

Thanks. So can we update packages on running servers or we need to be in single user mode?

unSpawn · 11-11-2011, 07:52 PM

No but as processes get loaded from binaries and libraries on disk certain changes won't be available until processes are (reconfigured and) restarted or kexec'ed (kernel).

the_gripmaster · 11-11-2011, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unSpawn

Try querying downloaded but not yet installed packages for where build time is less than or equal to your local representation of 2011-08-31?

Example:

Code:

# Clean cache:
yum -y clean all
# Cache packages by only downloading them but you could also mirror a repo:
yum -y --update --downloadonly
# Set date limit as epoch:
USEDATE=$(date --date="2011-08-31" +%s)
# Find packages and query custom format:
find /var/cache/yum/ -type f -iname \*.rpm -exec rpm -qp '{}' --qf="%{NAME} %{BUILDTIME}\n" \; \
| while read PACKAGE EPOCH; do [ $EPOCH -le $USEDATE ] && echo $PACKAGE; done

...still feels a bit kludgy though.

The requirement of the OP is a bit tricky. This code will actually download the latest available packages. and the find command will only find the rpms which were not updated after 20110831. The code will fail to find rpms, say, an rpm which was uodated on 20110830 and again on 20111010. Unless there is a way to download all updates packages ysing yum.

unSpawn · 11-12-2011, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_gripmaster

This code will actually download the latest available packages.

Yeah, you're right. He should D/L repo contents instead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_gripmaster

the find command will only find the rpms which were not updated after 20110831.

As per his requirement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_gripmaster

The code will fail to find rpms, say, an rpm which was uodated on 20110830 and again on 20111010.

If you are alluding to his reason for doing so I don't know but I can think up a scenario.