| SUSE Linux Documentation Chapter 9. Managing Software with ZENworks / 9.2. Managing Packages with the ZEN Tools | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Chapter 9. Managing Software with ZENworks | 9.3. For More Information |  | |
| SUSE Linux Documentation Chapter 9. Managing Software with ZENworks / 9.2. Managing Packages with the ZEN Tools | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chapter 9. Managing Software with ZENworks | 9.3. For More Information | | |
The ZEN tools serve as graphical front-ends for the ZENworks Management Daemon (zmd), allowing you easily to install or remove software, apply security updates, and manage services and catalogs with just a few clicks.
Managing packages on a Linux system requires root privileges. The ZEN tools and
rug have
their own user management system that allows users to install software
updates. When a user first invokes an action that requires special
privileges in the ZEN tools, a prompt for the root password appears. When the password has
been verified, The ZEN tools automatically add the user's account to the
user management system with update permissions. To review or change these
settings, use the rug user management commands (see Section 9.1.4, “rug User Management” for information).
Software Updater resides in the notification area (GNOME) or the system tray (KDE) of your panel as an icon depicting a globe. It changes color and appearance depending on the availability of a network link and new updates. Once a day, Software Updater automatically checks whether updates for your system are available (right-click the application icon and choose to force an immediate check). The Software Updater applet in the panel changes from a globe to an exclamation mark on an orange background when new updates are available.
![[Note]](admon/note.png) | Error on Accessing the Update Catalog |
|---|---|
If you are not able to access the update catalog, this might be due to an expired subscription. Normally, SUSE Linux Enterprise comes with a one or three years subscription, during which you have access to the update catalog. This access will be denied once the subscription ends. In case of an access denial to the update catalog you will see a warning message with a recommendation to visit the Novell Customer Center and check your subscription. The Novell Customer Center is available at http://www.novell.com/center/. | |
Left-click the panel icon to open the updater window. It displays a list of patches and new package versions available. Each entry has a short description and, if applicable, a category icon: Security patches are marked with a yellow shield. Optional patches are marked with a light blue circle. Recommended patches are not marked with an icon. Security patches are listed first, then recommended patches, optional patches, and finally new package versions. Use the links , , and to filter the list of packages displayed.
| Packages versus Patches |
|---|---|
Officially released updates from Novell show up as . New package versions from other sources show up as . | |
To get details about a certain entry, mark it with the mouse and click the link under the list window. To select an entry for installation, mark the entry's check box. Use the links and to select or deselect all patches. Clicking installs the selected programs.
To install software packages, start from the menu or run zen-installer. The interface is almost identical to Software Updater (see Section 9.2.2, “Obtaining and Installing Software Updates”). The only difference is a search panel you can use to search for packages or to filter the list. Mark the check box of packages that should be installed then press to start the package installation. Possible dependencies on other packages are automatically resolved by the installer.
Start from the menu or run zen-remover to uninstall software packages. The list of packages can be narrowed with the links (uninstalls the complete products), (see Section 8.3.1.2, “Installing and Removing Patterns” for details on patterns), , and . Mark the check box of a list entry that should be removed then press to start the package uninstallation. If other packages depend on the ones marked by you, these are also removed. You must confirm the removal of additional packages. If you click in the confirmation dialog, no packages are uninstalled.
To configure the ZEN tools, click in the application window. A window with three tabs opens: , , and .
Services are basically sources that provide software packages and information about these packages. Each service can offer one or more catalogs.
The service tab lists all services available together with type and status information (if you cannot see the latter two, adjust the window size). Use or to add or remove services. The following service types are available:
An HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP server using the RPM-MD format for the package data.
ZYPP services are the YaST installation sources added with + in YaST. Use Software Updater or YaST to add installation sources. The source from which you initially installed (DVD or CD-ROM in most cases) is preconfigured. If you change or delete this source, replace it with another valid installation source (ZYPP service), because otherwise you cannot install new software.
| Terminology |
|---|---|
The terms YaST installation source, YaST package repository, and ZYPP service are the same name for a source from which you can install software. | |
With , embed a directory mounted on your machine. This is useful, for example, in a network that regularly mirrors the Novell YUM server and exports its content to the local network. To add the directory, provide the full path to the directory in .
NU stands for Novell Update. Novell provides updates for SUSE Linux Enterprise exclusively as NU services. If you configured update during installation, the official Novell NU server is already present in the list.
If you skipped the update configuration during installation,
run suse_register on the command
line or the YaST module + as user root.
The Novell Update server is automatically added to Software Updater.
Opencarpet, Red Carpet Enterprise, or ZENworks services are only available if your company or organization has set up these services within your internal network. This may, for example, be the case if your organization is using third-party software for which updates are deployed on a single server.
After SUSE Linux Enterprise is installed, two services are preconfigured: your
installation source (DVD, CD-ROM, or network resource) as a ZYPP service
and a SUSE Linux Enterprise update server as a NU service, which was added during product
registration. Normally there is no need to change these settings. If you do
not see a NUYUM service, open a root shell and execute the command
suse_register. A service is added automatically.
Services are able to provide packages for different pieces of software or for different software versions (typically RCE or ZENworks services do so). These are organized in different categories called catalogs. Subscribe or unsubscribe from a catalog by marking or unmarking the check box in front of it.
At the moment, the SUSE Linux services (YUM and ZYPP) do not provide different catalogs. Each service only has one catalog. If Software Updater was configured during installation or with suse_register, it subscribes to the YUM and ZYPP catalogs automatically. If you manually add a service, you must subscribe to its catalogs.
