Managing Solaris Patches (Tasks)
Patch management involves listing or installing Solaris patches from a system running the Solaris release. Patch management might also involve removing (called backing out) unwanted or faulty patches.
This is a list of the step-by-step instructions in this chapter.
This is a list of the overview information in this chapter.
For information on adding patches to diskless client systems, see "Patching Diskless Client OS Services".
What Is a Patch?
A patch is a collection of files and directories that replace or update existing files and directories that are preventing proper execution of the software. The existing software is derived from a specified package format, which conforms to the Application Binary Interface. For details about packages, see Chapter 22, Managing Software (Overview).
Tools for Managing Solaris Patches
There are several options for managing patches:
Patches Tool - Use this Solaris Management Console tool to manage patches.
patchadd - Use to install Solaris patches from the command line.
patchrm - Use to remove patches that are installed on a Solaris system. This command restores the file system to its state before a patch was applied.
Detailed information about how to install and back out a patch is provided in patchadd(1M) and patchrm(1M). Each patch also contains a README file that contains specific information about the patch.
Before installing patches, you might want to know more about patches that have previously been installed. The following table describes commands that provide useful information about patches that are already installed on a system.
Table 24-1 Commands for Solaris Patch Management
Command | Description |
|---|---|
patchadd -p, showrev -p | Shows all patches that have applied to a system. |
pkgparam pkgid PATCHLIST | Shows all patches that have been applied to the package identified by pkgid, the name of the package. For example, SUNWadmap. |
patchadd -S Solaris-OS -p | Shows all the /usr patches installed on an OS server. |
Solaris Patch Distribution
All Sun customers can access security patches and other recommended patches through the SunSolve™ program. The following table describes the various ways to access Solaris patches.
Table 24-2 Customer Patch Access Information
Customer Type | Description |
|---|---|
SunSpectrum contract customer | You have access to the SunSolve database of patches and patch information. These are available from the SunSolve web page or by using anonymous ftp, as described in "Accessing Solaris Patches". These patches are updated nightly. You also receive a patch CD-ROM every 6 to 8 weeks. |
Not a SunSpectrum contract customer | You have access to a general set of security patches and other recommended patches. These are available through SunSolve. |
Accessing Solaris Patches
You can access Solaris patches from a web page or by using anonymous ftp. If you have purchased a Sun service contract, you will also be able to get patches directly from the SunSolve web page or from the patch CD-ROM that is regularly distributed.
To access patches from a web page, you need a system that is:
Connected to the Internet
Capable of running web browsing software such as Netscape
To access patches by anonymous ftp, you need a machine that is:
Connected to the Internet
Capable of running the ftp program
Access patches from SunSolve™ by using the following URL:
http://sunsolve.Sun.COM/pub-cgi/show.pl?target=patches/patch-access |
You can either install a patch cluster of recommended patches or individual patches that are freely available. Patch reports are available also.
You can also access publicly available patches by using this URL:
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/sun-info/sun-patches
Solaris Patch Numbering
Patches are identified by unique alphanumeric strings, with the patch base code first, a hyphen, and a number that represents the patch revision number. For example, patch 108528-10 is a SunOS 5.8 kernel update patch.