HP UX Patch Management manual Using the IT Resource Center, Obtaining an Itrc user account

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6 Using the IT Resource Center

The IT Resource Center (ITRC) is a website you can personalize to provide a wide range of services and support, including support for HP-UX patch management. The ITRC website is your fastest connection to HP Support and is located at http://itrc.hp.com.

This chapter presents many of the ITRC HP-UX patch-related areas. You should explore the links on the ITRC main page and familiarize yourself with all the ITRC has to offer. For more information, select Online help from the left navigation or Introducing the ITRC from the right navigation Useful links menu.

Many ITRC services require you to obtain a user account, and some ITRC services require additional authorization such as a certain level of support agreement or an online purchase.

Obtaining an ITRC user account

Most ITRC areas require you to have a user account. To obtain a user account:

1.Go to the ITRC at http://itrc.hp.com.

2.From the Select language pull down at the very top of the page, select your preferred language.

3.Choose the appropriate site (Americas/Asia Pacific or European).

4.Select Register from the left navigation.

5.Select My Profile from the left navigation.

6.Under the “Link support agreements, HP Care Packs and warranties to your profile” heading, add any support agreements, care packs, and warranties to your profile. This option allows access to additional services, including the download of patches.

Useful pages on the ITRC

The following pages are expanded on in this chapter.

self-solve tools

“Search knowledge base” (page 62)

patching

“Find individual patches” (page 55)

“Standard patch bundles” (page 62)

“Custom patch bundles - run a patch assessment” (page 62)

downloads/licensing

“Find individual patches” (page 55)

“Standard patch bundles” (page 62)

collaborate

“Ask your peers in the forums” (page 62)

assessment and warranty

“Custom patch bundles - run a patch assessment” (page 62)

notifications

“Support information digests” (page 62)

Find individual patches

The ITRC patch database should be your primary means of searching for patches, getting information about patches, and acquiring patches. The patch database is an excellent tool for system administrators who employ a reactive patch management strategy. The patch database is also an excellent general-purpose tool to refresh specific patches with newer versions.

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Contents Patch Management User Guide for HP-UX 11.x Systems Revision history Table of Contents What are standard HP-UX patch bundles? Using Dynamic Root Disk for patch management 107 104Patch management strategies HP-UX patches and patch managementWhere to start How to get patchesShould you use standard HP-UX patch bundles? Quick start guide for patching HP-UX systemsOverview Before you beginStandard HP-UX patch bundles Acquiring and installing standard HP-UX patch bundlesAcquiring the bundles As root, run the createdepothp-ux11script Installing the bundlesSwlist Advanced topic using Dynamic Root Disk DRDAcquiring the patches Acquiring and installing individual patchesQuick start guide for patching HP-UX systems Swverify -d \* @ /tmp/somepatchdirectory/depot Installing the patchesAdvanced topic using Dynamic Root Disk DRD HP-UX software structure HP-UX patch overviewPatch-related concepts Patch identificationSoftware depots and patch depots Patch bundlesPatch state Patch statusCategory tags StateSwlist -l fileset -a state grep patchid Swlist -l product -a categorytag patchid Which patches are on a system?For example Examples of the swlist command$ swlist -l product *,c=patch $ swlist -l bundle @ somesystem $ swlist -l product *,c=manualdependenciesAncestors Ancestors and supersession$ swlist -l fileset -a ancestor PHSS29183 Swlist -a appliedpatches filesetname Supersession$ swlist -a appliedpatches Xserver.AGRM Showpatches -s Swlist -l patch -x showsupersededpatches=trueSwlist -a patchstate -x showsupersededpatches=true patchid $ swlist -l fileset -a supersedes PHSS28681HP-UX Patch Supersession Chain Patch-related attributesSee Category tags Types of dependencies Patch dependenciesCorequisites and prerequisites Impact of dependencies on acquiring patches Enforced and unenforced manual dependenciesSwlist -vl fileset -a dependencytype fileset Patch rollback Patch rollback and commitmentPatch commitment Cleanup -p -c number Advanced topic patch cleanup utilityHP-UX patch ratings Rating details HP patch rating$ swlist -l product -a categorytag PHSS30011 Critical and noncritical patchesFinding information for a specific patch Patch documentationSubset of fields in patch text file and patch details Swlist -l product -a readme patchid more Obtaining information using the ItrcPatch warnings Advanced topic the readme attributeCritical and noncritical warnings Questions to ask How to handle patch warningsAdvanced topic finding patches with warnings Considerations Backup and recoveryPatch management life cycle Patch management overviewPatch management life cycle Patch management overview Restrictive Conservative Innovative Establishing a software change management strategyOperational factor and patch management strategy matrix Recommendations for software change managementPatch management and software depots Consideration of HP patch ratingAcquiring patches for proactive patching Proactive patching strategyAdvanced topic HP-UX Software Assistant Reactive patching strategyAcquiring patches for reactive patching Advanced topic security patching strategyAdvanced topic scanning for security patches Testing the patches to be installed What are standard HP-UX patch bundles? Key features Standard HP-UX patch bundles Standard HP-UX patch bundle use and release dates Obtaining standard HP-UX patch bundlesQuick start guide for patching HP-UX systems Find individual patches Using the IT Resource CenterObtaining an Itrc user account Useful pages on the ItrcAccessing the patch database and finding an individual patch Key featuresClick the add to selected patch list button Using the IT Resource Center Check for patches with dependencies Advanced topic checking for all patch dependenciesUsing the IT Resource Center Click the add to selected patch list button Ask your peers in the forums Standard patch bundlesCustom patch bundles run a patch assessment Support information digestsSearch knowledge base Common software distributor commands for patching Using software depots for patch managementDirectory depots Depot typesTape depots Using depotsChoosing depot type and depot location Viewing depotsSwlist -l depot Swlist -l depot @ remotesystem $ swlist -l depot$ swlist -l depot @ swdepot.xyz.com Creating and adding to a directory depot Depot/patches/11.11 Copying patches to depotsAdvanced topic HP-UX Software Assistant Registering and unregistering directory depotsCopying products with patch dependencies to depots $ swreg -u -l depot /depot/patches/2003-07periodicdepot Advanced topic access control listsExamples of registering and unregistering depots $ swreg -l depot /depot/patches/2003-07periodicdepotExamples of verifying directory depots Verifying directory depots$ swverify -d \* @ /mydepots/newdirectorydepot $ swverify -d \* @ /mydepots/PHSS30278depot Verification had errorsRemoving software from a directory depot Verification succeededExecution succeeded Advanced topic removing superseded patches from a depot $ /usr/sbin/cleanup -d /mydepots/patchdepot$ swlist -l product -d @ /mydepots/patchdepot $ swreg -u -l depot /mydepots/PHCO27780depot Installing patches from a depotRemoving a directory depot $ swlist -l product @ /mydepots/patchdepotReboots the system when required Analysis succeeded Examples of installing patches from a depotCustom patch bundles Installing products with patch dependencies from a depotAnalysis and Execution succeeded Rev Patch description Examples of listing patches and bundlesRev Bundle Description $ swlist -d @ /mydepots/temporarydepot Creating a custom bundleAnalysis succeeded Finally, remove the temporary depot For more information Using HP-UX Software Assistant for patch managementUsing Dynamic Root Disk for patch management Drd1m Patch Assessment Tool Using the Patch Assessment ToolBenefits of the Patch Assessment Tool Example of running the Patch Assessment Tool Select upload new system information Contacting HP Support and other resourcesRelated information HP websites Typographic conventionsNon-HP websites Times Patch usage models Components in test Image Then production Patch usage model 1 hardware/application software changeDRD Begi n Product needs to be certified on HP-UX 11i v2/v3 Patch usage model 3 operating environment cold install Patch usage model 3 operating environment cold install Patch usage model 4 operating environment update Patch usage model 4 operating environment update Create clone Patch usage model 5 proactive patchPassed? System Patch usage model 6 reactive patchAncestor GlossaryIPD SWA Index Index See also HWE Index