Patch Manager is becoming Sun's standard patch management tool. This tool consists of 1) the Solaris Patch Manager Base Version 1.0 application installed on the customer's system and 2) a supporting infrastructure that resides at Sun. This infrastructure consists of a patch knowledge database, host analysis modules, digitally signed patches, and a set of internal processes to ensure that the components work together. Core to the Solaris Patch Manager Base Version 1.0 application is the PatchPro Analysis Engine.

This paper explores the capabilities of the PatchPro Analysis Engine (PatchPro) and describes how to leverage its capabilities to more efficiently allow its use in environments where all hosts do not have direct access to the Sun infrastructure.

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary
2. PatchPro Overview
3. PatchPro Database
4. PatchPro Properties
5. Server and Client Configuration
6. Setting Up a Local Repository of Patches
7. Patch Depot Server
8. Read-Only File System
9. Synchronization With SunSolve Patch Portal
10. Setting Up a Patch Client
11. Editing the patchpro.conf File
12. File Aging
13. Locating Certificates
14. Avoiding Using Current Files
15. Proxy Configuration
16. Capturing the Patch List
17. Summary: How to Populate the Local Patch Depot and Create Client-Specific Patch Sets
18. Additional Features
19. Appendix A: PatchPro v2.2
20. Appendix B: Patch Lists