Updating a running jail

[Shane Ambler]

Sounds to me like you want to use cvsup. You can search for it in the
handbook.

Basically cvsup -g -L 2 cvsupfile will update ports/src/docs/cvs and can be
run periodically by cron.

The cvsupfile you specify has settings as far as what to update and where to
put it - you can have a different config for src and ports if you want them
in different places.

You can config the cvssupfile to download cvs so you can have an up to date
cvs tree locally to update from.

On 10/1/05 8:28 AM, "Tom McLaughlin" <tmclaugh at sdf.lonestar.org> wrote:

> Hi, I have a machine which I am running a jail on to be used as a clean
> work space for ports work.  I got tired of messing up the ports tree and
> installed ports on my desktop so I figured a jails would be the best
> solution.  The jail host is running FreeBSD-stable because I'm waiting
> for some changes in FreeBSD-6 to be MFC'ed.  What I want to know is what
> is the best way to keep my jail up to date with -stable?  (Well,
> actually keep the jail in sync with the jailhost which runs -stable.)
> I've already figured out how to handle the ports within the jail so that
> is not a problem, only worried about keeping the base up to date.
> 
> I've thought of a couple of ideas so far.  One is to dispose of the old
> jail and build a new one.  That just won't work for my needs and is a
> waste of time from what I see.  My jail is setup "the way I like it" so
> working in the jail is comfortable, ie. I have a lot of config files
> permissions set, and a decent number of packages installed to make life
> easier for me when logged in.
> 
> My next idea is to use a script on the jailhost which carries out the
> steps for building a jail from the manpage and essentially installing
> over the old jail.  I just wonder how that will affect /etc within the
> jail.  I want many of the changes to /etc that occur in -stable but I
> don't want to overwrite all the changes I have made.  I guess I could
> skip `make distribution' and run mergemaster later.
> 
> My last idea is to mount the jailhost's /usr/src and /usr/obj
> directories into the jail with nullfs and then after having run
> buildworld on the jailhost, run installworld in the jail and then use
> mergemaster to take care of /etc within the jail.  I've used a similar
> process to update OpenBSD machines over NFS but have never tried it on
> FreeBSD.
> 
> Can anyone tell me what they do to manage their jails and keep them up
> to date?  Thanks.
> 
> Tom

-- 

Shane Ambler
Sales Department
007Marketing.com
Shane at 007Marketing.com