Re: how best to do package management?

[Brian Youngstrom]

* Pur A. Lux <puralux@yahoo.com> [030212 10:06]:
> What techniques have people used to do this
> within cfengine?

Here is what I currently use:

-----
classes:
        HasSYSSTAT              = ( FileExists(/usr/bin/sar) )
        HasUP2DATE              = ( FileExists(/usr/sbin/up2date) )
 [...]
shellcommands:
        redhat.!HasSYSSTAT::
                "/bin/rpm -U http://hagrid/rpms/sysstat-4.0.5-1.i386.rpm";
                        useshell=false
                        timeout=60

        HasUP2DATE::
                '/bin/rpm -e up2date'
                        useshell=false
                        timeout=10
-----

The FileExists checks look for a file that is included in a particuar
package that I care to watch for.  Then I either install or remove the
package depending on which package is present.

I have a script that checks for updates daily, so I don't check for a
version specific file here.  I just have to remember to update the rpm
-i line when I have a new rpm. :)

One could use a module to define classes for each rpm installed, then
have appropriate shellcommands to install/remove as you wish.

-- 
Brian Youngstrom
byoung@cs.washington.edu
University of Washington
Computer Science & Engineering