Solaris Software Patches
Another sysadmin task is managing system software patches. A patch is a fix to a reported software problem. Sun will ship several software patches to customers so that problems can be resolved before the next release of software. The existing software is derived from a specified package format that conforms to the ABI.
Patches are identified by unique alphanumeric strings. The patch base code comes first, and then a hyphen, and then a number that represents the patch revision number. For example, patch 110453-01 is a Solaris patch to correct a known problem.
You might want to know more about patches that have previously been installed. The following tables lists the commands that provide useful information about patches already installed on a system.
| Command | Function |
|---|---|
| showrev -p | Shows all patches applied to a system. |
| pkgparam <pkgid> PATCHLIST | Shows all patches applied to the package identified by . |
| pkgparam <pkgid> PATCH INFO <patch-number> | Shows the installation date and name of the host from which the patch was applied. is the name of the package (for example, SUNWadmap), and is the specific patch number. |
| patchadd -R <client_root_path> -p | Shows all patches applied to a client, from the server's console. |
| patchadd -p | Shows all patches applied to a system. |
| patchrm <patchname> | Removes a specified patch. is the name of the patch to be removed. |
| smpatch | A new tool in Solaris 10 for managing patches. |
| Patch Tool | A Solaris Management Console Tool for managing patches. |
The tools listed above are tools you might already be accustomed to if you've managed patches using earlier versions of the Solaris operating environment. In Solaris 10, Patch Manager helps you manage patches by displaying information about installed patches. It also assists you in adding patches to one or more systems concurrently, removes patches, analyses a system's patch requirements, and downloads patches from the SunSolve Online service.