Core System Update

[Haulmark, Chris]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org 
> [mailto:owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org] On Behalf Of Bill Moran
> Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 1:31 PM
> To: Kenneth A. Bond
> Cc: freebsd-questions at FreeBSD.org
> Subject: Re: Core System Update
> 
> "Kenneth A. Bond" <fhb_1969 at yahoo.ca> wrote:
> 
> > Hello,
> > I am trying to determine how often to update my systems.
> > Currently I am using anoncvs in order to synch my source.
> > >From there I run the typical
> >  
> > # make buildworld
> > # make buildkernel
> > # make installkernel
> > # 
> > # mergemaster -p# make installworld# mergemaster# reboot
> > 
> > Should I only perform this when a security vulnerability is found?
> > 
> > I am trying to achieve maximum uptime for these systems and want to
> > confirm how often I should perform a core system update.
> 
> Please wrap you lines aroun 72 chars.  See
> http://www.lemis.com/questions.html
> 
> If you're shooting for max uptime and the most stable system, you can
> follow the procedure I follow for most of my clients:
> 1) Install the latests 4.x-RELEASE
> 2) cvsup to RELENG_4_x (currently RELENG_4_10)
> 3) rebuild/reinstall the core system.
> 4) When 4.11 comes out, schedule a weekend and cvsup the system to
>    RELENG_4_11, rebuild/reinstall.  Pay special attention to
>    /usr/src/UPDATING, repeat for 4.12, etc
> 5) Subscribe to FreeBSD-security.  When a vuln is announced, recvsup
>    to the RELENG_4_x and rebuild/reinstall

Or simply follow the alert's patch instructions if it is unrelated to a
kernel fix.  A service or two would require to be restarted after being patched.

> 6) Step 5 can occasionally be skipped.  For example, there were many
>    sites that I had using FreeBSD that I didn't have to update when
>    bind problems were fixed, because they weren't running DNS servers.
>    If you're not sure, you're safer updating than not.

For instance, today, a CVS server had a security alert sent out, which is
not important to those of us who do not use CVS server.

> 
> -- 
> Bill Moran
> Potential Technologies
> http://www.potentialtech.com
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>

--
Chris Haulmark
System Admin. Freelancer
"In market for IT corrections for a salary."