Update Linux Box with yum

December 10, 2007 | By admin In Linux |

One of the system administrator daily task is to keep system up to date and my favorite tool is Yum.

What is yum?
Yum is a software package manager and it’s a tool for system administrator to install, update and remove RPM-based packages in linux box. Their ability to check the package dependencies make it easier for system adminisrator to apply patches and to maintain the system up to date.

Yum features include:
* Support for multiple repositories
* Simple configuration
* Dependency calculation
* Fast operation
* RPM-consistent behavior
* Package group support, including multiple-repository groups
* Simple interface

Usage: yum [options] < grouplist, localinstall, groupinfo,
localupdate, resolvedep, erase, deplist, groupremove, makecache,
upgrade, provides, shell, install, whatprovides,groupinstall,
update, repolist,groupupdate, info, search, check-update,
list, remove, clean, grouperase

Normally, I use yum check-update to check any software update from fedora / centos repositories.

You may try it with your linux shell ..

So fire up your ssh client and issue this command once login

[root@xxxx xxxx]# yum check-update
updates 		100% |=================| 2.3 kB 00:00
primary.sqlite.bz2 	100% |=================| 2.6 MB 00:20
fedora 			100% |=================| 2.1 kB 00:00
acl.x86_64 2.2.39-6.fc7 updates
attr.x86_64 2.4.32-3.fc7 updates
bind-libs.x86_64 31:9.4.2-1.fc7 updates
bind-utils.x86_64 31:9.4.2-1.fc7 updates
coreutils.x86_64 6.9-6.fc7 updates
cpio.x86_64 2.6-28.fc7 updates
cups.x86_64 1:1.2.12-8.fc7 updates
cups-libs.i386 1:1.2.12-8.fc7 updates
cups-libs.x86_64 1:1.2.12-8.fc7 updates

After yum finish and list out which software available for updates, then we issue yum update command to setting up update process and also check for any software dependencies.

[root@xxxx xxxx]# yum update
Setting up Update Process
Resolving Dependencies
—> Running transaction check
—> Package libselinux-devel.i386 0:2.0.14-10.fc7 set to be updated
—> Package bind-utils.x86_64 31:9.4.2-1.fc7 set to be updated
—> Package libacl-devel.x86_64 0:2.2.39-6.fc7 set to be updated
—> Package coreutils.x86_64 0:6.9-6.fc7 set to be updated
—> Package libattr.i386 0:2.4.32-3.fc7 set to be updated
—> Package system-config-securitylevel-tui.x86_64 0:1.7.0-6.fc7 set to be updated
…………
Transaction Summary
==========================================================
Install 3 Package(s)
Update 75 Package(s)
Remove 2 Package(s)
Total download size: 73 M
Is this ok [y/N]:y

Transaction summary will calculate how many softwares to be install, update and remove for the system. If we want to proceed just select y and enter.

Downloading Packages:
(1/78): perl-Test-Simple- 100% |====================| 108 kB 00:02
(2/78): swig-1.3.33-1.fc7 100% |====================| 3.1 MB 00:22
(3/78): perl-CPAN-1.76_02 100% |====================| 127 kB 00:01
(4/78): elfutils-libelf-0 100% |====================| 50 kB 00:00
(5/78): info-4.11-2.fc7.x 100% |====================| 171 kB 00:01
(6/78): python-urlgrabber 100% |====================| 121 kB 00:00
(7/78): smartmontools-5.3 100% |====================| 305 kB 00:02
(8/78): ncurses-5.6-9.200 100% |====================| 1.0 MB 00:08
(9/78): yum-3.2.7-2.fc7.n 100% |====================| 551 kB 00:04
....
....

Yum start downloading software / packages.

Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Updating : libselinux 	##################### [ 1/155]
Updating : libattr 	##################### [ 2/155]
Updating : libacl 	##################### [ 3/155]
Updating : ncurses 	##################### [ 4/155]
.......
.......
Cleanup : libacl-devel 	##################### [ 82/155]
Cleanup : libacl-devel 	##################### [ 83/155]
Cleanup : coreutils 	##################### [ 84/155
Cleanup : libattr 	##################### [ 85/155]

After yum finish download the software, it will run rpm_check_debug and transaction test and if the transaction test succeeded, yum will start updating and cleanup up the softwares.

Removed: kernel.x86_64 0:2.6.22.9-91.fc7 kernel-devel.x86_64 0:2.6.22.9-91.fc7
Installed: kernel.x86_64 0:2.6.23.8-34.fc7 kernel-devel.x86_64 0:2.6.23.8-34.fc7
Dependency Installed: paps-libs.x86_64 0:0.6.8-1.fc7
Updated: acl.x86_64 0:2.2.39-6.fc7 attr.x86_64 0:2.4.32-3.fc7

This is the last stage and summary for the software removed, installed, dependency installed and updated by yum.

Tips:
1.Run yum every night: