3.5. Keeping the System Up-to-date

openSUSE offers a continuous stream of software security updates for your product. The openSUSE Updater applet informs you about the availability of updates and lets you easily install them with just a few clicks.

The current patches for openSUSE are available from an update software catalog. If you have registered your product during the installation, an update catalog is already configured. If you have not registered openSUSE, you can do so by running Software+Online Update Configuration in YaST. Alternatively, you can manually add an update catalog from a source you trust with openSUSE Updater (see Section 3.5.3, “Manually Adding Update Catalogs” for more information).

openSUSE provides updates sorted by relevance level. Security updates fix severe security hazards and should definitely be installed. Recommended updates fix issues that could compromise your computer, whereas Optional updates fix non-security relevant issues or provide enhancements.

The openSUSE Updater applet resides in the system tray (KDE) of your panel or in the notification area (GNOME) as an icon depicting the openSUSE mascot (Geeko), which changes color depending on the availability and relevance of updates:

White Geeko

No updates available.

Red Geeko

Security updates available.

Orange Geeko

Recommended or optional updates are available.

3.5.1. Installing Updates

Whenever the openSUSE Updater shows the availability of updates, left-click on the icon to open the Available Updates window. It lists the patches available. Apart from the patch name you will see the Type (Security, Recommended or Optional), and the patch version number. Patches are sorted alphabetically by default—change this by clicking on a column headline (Name, Type or New Version). Click Install to proceed.

Figure 3.2. openSUSE Updater: Available Updates

openSUSE Updater: Available Updates

You will be prompted for the root password. When proceeding with OK, the YaST Online Update window opens. Start the patch installation with Accept. Normally no interaction is required, but a few patches, such as kernel updates, require manual interaction—in this case please follow the on-screen instructions. After the installation has been completed, please confirm with Finish. Your system is up-to-date now.

The YaST Online Update offers advanced features to customize the patch installation. Please refer to Section “YaST Online Update” (Chapter 3, Online Update, ↑Reference) for more information.

3.5.2. Configuring openSUSE Updater

By default openSUSE Updater is started on login and checks for updates every 99 minutes. To change this behavior, right-click the applet icon and choose Configure Applet.

3.5.3. Manually Adding Update Catalogs

Open a pop-up menu by right-clicking the openSUSE Updater applet and choose Add/Remove Servers or click Add/Remove Servers in the Available Updates window. After you have entered the root password, the YaST Installation Source module opens. Please see Section 3.3, “Adding Installation Source” for further instructions.

3.5.4. Using openSUSE Updater with zmd

By default, openSUSE Updater operates with libzypp, the system's central package, patch, pattern, and product management library. It is also possible to use openSUSE Updater as a ZENworks Management Daemon (zmd) front-end. This mode offers additional functionality such as support for further update sources (locally mounted directories, YUM, ZENWorks sources, etc.). It is also possible to install and remove packages with openSUSE Updater in zmd mode.

In order to configure openSUSE Updater to operate in zmd mode, right-click on the applet icon, choose Configure Applet from the pop-up menu, and check Get updates via+Novell ZENWorks in the configuration menu.

[Note]For More Information

For more information please refer to http://en.opensuse.org/KDE_Updater_Applet.