Linux - SoftwareThis forum is for Software issues.
Having a problem installing a new program? Want to know which application is best for the job? Post your question in this forum.
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
is it possible for me to automate software updates. I heard something about this push and pull funda.. we have a lab in which there are around 50 comps. so we would like to make the software updates automated (may be controlled by an administrator) so that we need not go and do the updates on every single machine.
Yes, automatic updates and creating a local repository (so updates are only downloaded once) is straightforward. The details of how you do it are a function of the distribution and release, and usually documented by the distribution.
If you add your distribution information to your profile, it will make it easier for folks to respond to your questions.
Yes, set a cronjob on each machine. The method will vary depending on what distro you're using. Generally speaking, I download all the updates and create a local package repository of the updates. That I only have to download once and then all the clients in the lab can download from that machine (saves internet bandwidth).
Note that this isn't recommended for bleeding edge distributions or production servers.
Yes, automatic updates and creating a local repository (so updates are only downloaded once) is straightforward. The details of how you do it are a function of the distribution and release, and usually documented by the distribution.
If you add your distribution information to your profile, it will make it easier for folks to respond to your questions.
Actually we are thinking of what distribution to install. One of the issues regarding that is the software update problem. i think it will mostly be Debian Etch.
For Debian, you would rsync the updates from a local mirror, and update your apt sources to point to your local copy. As pljvaldez then indicated, you would cron a script to run apt to update your system. By controlling the updates that go into your local copy, you control the updates that will get applied to each system.
Google for "apt proxy howto" and you'll get a lot of different pages outlining how to setup a single server to download updates. Then all the other machines can get their updates from that one server.
Google for "apt proxy howto" and you'll get a lot of different pages outlining how to setup a single server to download updates. Then all the other machines can get their updates from that one server.
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.