[rhn-users] Confusion over website showing machine as out-of-date

[Daryl Herzmann]

Hi,

Based on some recent discussions with Red Hat, I wanted to start a thread 
on the email list about this topic.  Many of us have probably noticed 
differences between rhn-applet, up2date -l, and the website update status 
for a machine you admin.  Lets step thru the process:

  1.  Red Hat publishes Errata

  2a. A script runs on RHN hosted that updates machine info on the
      website to show them as out of date.

  2b. The local machines runs rhn_check every 4 hours looking for
      new updates.  This fires some process at RHN to update the
      website.  Or local admin runs up2date -p ....  up2date -l won't
      sync the website.

  3.  Website shows machine as out of date


The question is which happens first, 2a or 2b.  A recent fixed bz ticket 
would indicate that 2a was running slow at one time, but should have been 
fixed now with rhn5.0.0.

If the machine is not checking in, 2b won't happen and you have to wait 
for 2a or perhaps some other unknown process to update the website, which 
may take a while (am testing how long now).

In the meantime, 3) doesn't happen and confusion abounds.

In my simple mind, this should be the process:

  1. RedHat pushes errata

  2. Script runs within 4 hours to update entire rhn database.  Machines
     are shown as out-of-date and "Auto-Apply" errata machines are
     scheduled for package install.

  3. Website is updated

Now discuss :)

daryl