[CentOS] Yum / Up2date issues and mirror.centos.org

[Bryan J. Smith]

Les Mikesell <lesmikesell at gmail.com> wrote:
> But then it would have to change when I build/update a
> machine here and ship it or the disk to another location.

So what do you do about other site-specific system settings?

> Actually I just prefer not to break all my machines at
> once...

That's why you test on one system _first_.  I don't care if
you're doing it automated or manually, there is absolutely
_no_ difference!

> It's really not that hard to paste an update command into
> several windows or ssh it to the next machine after the
> previous one is rebooted and back in the load balancer
> pools.

But it takes a lot less time (and is much safer) to:
1)  Download updates to 1 system
2)  Test that system
3)  Pull the files from its APT/YUM cache
4)  Redistribute them to all other systems

I actually didn't know about automated YUM tools to do #3/#4
until that previous thread a month or two back.
  
I either just leveraged my existing configuration management
structure to distribute files from APT/YUM caches -- or more
formally -- just maintained my own local APT/YUM mirrors, my
own "enterprise release" tags on the package sets, etc...

So, are we going to _continue_ going round and round on this?
 I'm not saying what you're doing is "wrong."  I'm just
saying there _are_ other ways to deal with your problem, and
they _are_ very efficient for most of us other
administrators.  ;->

> I'm sure you know as well as anyone that you need to be
> working with fedora to know what to expect from the next
> version of Centos.  And working with fedora is frustrating
> enough to make you try some other distos whenever you have
> time.

I'm just telling you what's in store in the future.  I'm
doing it so you can stop asking for things from CentOS on
this list that _are_ being addressed by the upstream provider
who _can_ do such!

Do you have to take everything and make it either an insult
about a distro or a threat to use another?  Honestly, I don't
think we need more Linux users -- excuse me, administrators
-- like yourself.

The only thing I'm guilty of is taking the time to explain
extensive technical options people have -- to make things
easier.  You may like one way, but it's _not_ the only way --
and if there is another option, one that might save you time,
I'm going to offer it.  Especially when you're "bitching" for
solutions that CentOS can_not_ give you.  ;->

> Then there's the k12ltsp and SMEserver variations on the
> Centos base.

Then setup 1 system, download the updates, and rip/distribute
from their APT/YUM caches.  I've been doing that for _years_
(with my own scripts) when the organization is small enough I
don't have a local mirror setup.

> And it gets ugly when you have lots of machines running an
> assortment of different distributions.

Again, pick 1 system per distro.  Pick a user who doesn't
mind "experimenting" if you don't have a spare system.  They
download the updates first.  If they work and pass mustard,
then use his/her APT or YUM cache to feed _all_ others. 
Done.|

Otherwise, how are you maintaining any management over these
systems?

> Just not quite ugly enough to make it worth reinstalling

Huh?  Who said _anything_ about re-installing?!?!?!  @-o

> just to make it all the same (if that's even possible
> due to hardware and application differences) or holding
> back on new things.

Huh?  You just lost me.  Why would you re-install?



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Bryan J. Smith                | Sent from Yahoo Mail
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