Summary
RPM packages are specific to the version of Red Hat Linux for which they created. For example, RPMs for RedHat 7.2 should not be installed on RedHat 9.0. This incompatibility means that in a multi-version environment, RPMs for different versions must be analyzed, stored, and deployed separately.
Red Hat RPM packages generally contain low-level dependencies on the operating system. For this reason, RPM packages should not be installed on versions of Red Hat other than the one for which they were created. For example, RPM packages for Red Hat 9.0 should not be installed on Red Hat 7.2.
In the ManageSoft environment, this dictates that packages specific to particular Red Hat versions should be managed separately in analysis, import, and policy targeting to avoid potential problems. This document describes the recommended best practice for successfully managing RPMs in an environment with more than one version of Red Hat Linux.
Software analysis
ManageSoft Corporation recommends that you create a separate packaging environment warehouse for each version of Red Hat Linux you will use.
In each warehouse, perform dependency analysis and testing of RPM packages for one version of Red Hat Linux only. When packages have been tested and accepted, they can be imported to a production warehouse, from which they can be distributed and deployed.
Software import
Establish separate locations in your production software library in which to store the RPMs for different versions of Red Hat Linux. For example, for Red Hat 7.2 packages create "RedHat 7.2". and for Red Hat 9.0 packages create "RedHat 9.0".
To import packages to the production software library, copy the packages from the repository on the packaging environment to a temporary location such as c:\temp on the production warehouse. From here, you can import the packages using the ManageSoft command line receiver.
For example, copy your Red Hat 7.2 packages from the repository on the packaging warehouse in which you analyzed them to c:\temp on your production warehouse server. Then run:
mgsreceive -N "c:\temp\RedHat 7.2" -d "RedHat 7.2" -o pack=TRUE
Now copy the Red Hat 9.0 packages from the repository on the packaging warehouse in which you analyzed them to c:\temp on your production warehouse server, and import them using:
mgsreceive -N "c:\temp\RedHat 9.0" -d "RedHat 9.0" -o pack=TRUE
After this,you will have two sets of RPMs in different locations in the software library on your production warehouse.
Policy management
Create different organizational units (OUs) in Active Directory for the different Red Hat version groups, and place managed devices into the appropriate group based on the version of Red Hat Linux they run.
Create separate group policies for each of the groups and assign the appropriate RPM packages to the policies.
Schedules and client settings can be shared by creating a policy on a parent OU. This approach in fine as long as you do not create events to install or remove a package from the the client machine (out of policy install/remove scenarios).
Additional Information
his article is relevant to all Linux-based versions of ManageSoft.
For more information, refer to the "RPMs in the software library" and "Using more than one version of Red Hat Linux" sections of the Introduction to ManageSoft Linux support documentation.
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