Automating use of new kernel

[John DeCarlo]

Hello,

I like to keep up with new kernel releases, especially if they fix 
security issues or other bugs.

However, I am getting tired of all the manual updates I need to do with 
each new kernel.  So I am asking for advice on automating these tasks.

Here is what I have to do now:

1) Add NTFS support.  Usually go to the linux-ntfs project and get an 
RPM.  Could also recompile the kernel with NTFS added.

2) Recompile and set up the Cisco VPN software.

3) Reset the Broadcom driver (the tg3 driver still doesn't work with the 
Cisco VPN software).  Doing it from scratch means installing the source 
RPM, going through steps to rpmbuild the binary RPM, then installing the 
new RPM.

4) Reinstalling the NVIDIA driver (which I haven't been doing lately 
because of needing 8K stacks *and* NTFS support).

In particular, if anyone has done something similar, I would love to 
modify as needed.  I would need:
	o) sufficient robustness to recover from failures (say, when things 
don't work the same going from 2.4 to 2.6).
	o) Some way to identify that a new kernel is installed (presumably 
using uname or the like).
	o) Retrieving stuff from the Internet, like a new linux-ntfs project 
RPM that matches the new kernel (or identifying it isn't yet available, 
possibly before doing anything else).

Thanks.

-- 

John DeCarlo, My Views Are My Own