Vreme: 11/04/2011 02:24 PM, David McGiven piše:
I am migrating from debian to RHEL (CentOS) and I am wondering how the CentOS 6 updating system works.
Welcome.
In first part I will explain normal process, without CR repository (which changes things).
Suppose I install CentOS 6.1 now. Suppose in 8 months CentOS 6.2 is released.
Yum update is continuous process. So far (or at present) only way is that you will be upgraded to latest minor point-release (.1, .2,...).
Now I issue a yum update, so my system will be updated to CentOS 6.2, or I will have an updated 6.1 ?
In your example, you would have 6.2 when yum update is finished. Sometimes "yum upgrade" is recommended, but only if you are advised in Release Notes for given point release.
What if I have been issuing yum update very day just to be sure there are no packages with urgent security bugs ? I am having a very updated 6.1 or an almost 6.2 ? Or are they the same thing ? I think that during this time I should be using Continous Release repository, right ?
There are normal updates against every point release, like updates against 6.0 until 6.1 is released, then updates until 6.2, etc. So just "very updated 6.1" in your example.
Point releases are mostly used to bring new kernel/hardware support (drivers), new versions of core packages (rarely), or new technologies. Updates between point releases will only (in most cases) contain bugfixes.
Also, which is the policy regarding new versions of software, kernel and libs ? The bugfixes will be backported or there will be major differences between, let’s say, 6.1 and 6.4 ?
Upstream changes (mostly) versions of packages only if there is compelling reason to do so. Whole point is to have unchanged system that will behave the same as previous point releases. Of course, there are deviations from this policy, but as small and as rare as possible.
So short answer is backported bugfixes (even in kernel) and as small changes as possible, unless gains are overwhelming and do not brake anything.