Upgrading a live server with rdist

[Chuck Swiger]

Konrad Heuer wrote:
[ ... ]
> As far as I see there is little chance to do this without carefully
> restarting all processes, e.g. by shutting down into single user mode and
> returning to multi user mode.

It is advisable to switch into single-user mode when updating the system files, 
agreed.

> If you replace program files and shared libraries used by currently
> running processes, this will cause the corresponding processes to be
> aborted abnormally in case of page fault requiring a page-in from the
> program files or shared libraries.

Generally not; the system doesn't delete files that are in use even if you 
overwrite those files: it hangs on to the inode and won't free the space until 
nobody needs that file.

--
-Chuck