1    Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the concepts and features of the patch kits for the Tru64 UNIX operating system and TruCluster software products.

1.1    Overview

A patch is a collection of files that contain fixes to problems. When possible, patches are merged together, into one patch, if they have intersecting files or codependencies. A patch may correct more than one problem.

The Tru64 UNIX and TruCluster software patch kits contain patches for critical problems for those software products. These kits, which are distributed as needed, provide interim maintenance that prevents the occurrence of known critical problems. The patch kits contain the following elements:

Patch kits are not intended to provide general maintenance and new functions; applying them to your system does not eliminate the need to upgrade to later versions of Tru64 UNIX and TruCluster software.

Patches are applicable to a specific version of the software products, unless stated otherwise in the Patch Summary and Release Notes. You cannot install version-specific kits on other software versions. HP recommends that you install all of the patches included in the kits and that you update the TruCluster software products (if applicable) at the same time you update your operating system.

To install Tru64 UNIX and TruCluster software patches, your system must meet the following requirements:

After you install the patches, the following items are left on the system:

1.2    Types of Patches

HP distributes three kinds of patches for its Tru64 UNIX and TruCluster software products — Release Patch Kits, Customer-Specific Patch Kits, and Early Release Patch Kits:

1.3    Patch Kit Distribution and Naming

Tru64 UNIX patches for specific operating system and TruCluster software releases and Customer-Specific patches are packaged together in tar files. Each patch kit contains the following components:

The contents of the tar file varies, depending on the type of kit. For example, a CSP kit might contain patches for several operating system versions, while Release Patch Kits always contain patches for only one operating system version. Also, the tar file may or may not contain TruCluster software patches. However, the structure of the tar file is the same for each type of kit.

The following sections describe Release and Customer-Specific Patch Kits.

1.3.1    Release Patch Kits

Tru64 UNIX and TruCluster software Release Patch Kits are available from the Internet and on CD-ROM.

Release patch kit names have the following format:

Product|Version|BaseLevel|KitType|Kit#-MfgDate

For example, a file named T64V51BB22AS0002-20030415.tar contains aggregate Patch Kit 0002, built in base level 22 for Tru64 UNIX Version 5.1B and TruCluster software Version 5.1B, manufactured on April 15, 2001.

The following list describes the format used in release patch kit names:

Product

One of the following:

T64 = Tru64 UNIX
TCR = TruCluster
DU = DIGITAL UNIX

Version

One of the following:

V51B
V51A
V51
V50
V40G
V40F
V40D

BaseLevel

The support pool in which the kit was built. This formerly internal number has become a common way of identifying kits.

KitType

One of the following:

AS = Aggregate Selective installation patch kit
SS = A patch kit containing a single patch
M = Manual installation

Kit#

The numeric identifier that HP uses to track the kit contents.

MfgDate

The year, month, and day the kit was built in the form of YYYYMMDD.

1.3.2    Customer-Specific and Early Release Patch Kits

Customer-Specific Patch Kits provide interim patches for a specific customer's problem and computing environment.

Early Release Patch Kits, which provide one or more patches that will be incorporated into a future Release Patch Kit, are a type of Customer-Specific Patch Kit. Most of the information about CSPs in this manual also pertains to ERPs.

Although most CSPs are installed using the dupatch utility, some must be installed manually. Patches that must be installed manually are indicated with an M in their kit name.

In August 2003, a new naming format was introduced for CSP and ERP kits. Kits manufactured since then use the naming format described in Section 1.3.2.1. Earlier kits, many of which are still available, used the legacy naming format described in Section 1.3.2.2.

1.3.2.1    Current Kit Naming Format

CSP and ERP kit names have the following format:

Product|KIT|UniqueID-OSVersion|BaseLevel-KitType-MfgDate

For example, a file named DUXKIT0013825-V40FB22-EMS-20030824.tar contains an early release security kit built for Version 4.0F, base level 22 on August 24th, 2003 with an indentification number of 0013825 and must be installed manually.

The following list describes the attributes currently used in these patch kit names:

Product

One of the following:

T64 = Tru64 UNIX
TCR = TruCluster
DUX = DIGITAL UNIX

KIT

The word KIT.

UniqueID

A unique ID for this kit, which is a seven digit number. For example, 0013825.

Version

One of the following:

V51B
V51A
V51
V50
V40G
V40F
V40D

BaseLevel

The Release patch base level the Customer-Specific patch is built against; for example, 22. This field is used by the service provider.

KitType

May contain one or more of the following types. If the M is not present, the kit is installed using the dupatch utility.

E = Early release
S = Security
M = Manual installation

MfgDate

The year, month, and day the kit was built, in the form of YYYYMMDD.

1.3.2.2    Legacy Kit Naming Format

Although the format for identifying CSPs and ERPs has changed, kits containing the legacy naming format are still available. The names for older kits have the following format:

Product|Version|BaseLevel-C|PatchID-UniqueID-OptionalField-MfgDate

For example, a file named T64V50AB13-C9999900-1110746-M-20010531.tar contains a Customer-Specific patch for Tru64 UNIX Version 5.0A, built in base level 13, containing a patch identified as number 9999900 from a unique kit numbered 1110746, which was built on May 31, 2001.

The following list describes the attributes currently used in patch kit names:

Product

One of the following:

T64 = Tru64 UNIX
TCR = TruCluster
DU = DIGITAL UNIX

Version

One of the following:

V51B
V51A
V51
V50
V40G
V40F
V40D

BaseLevel

The Release patch base level the Customer-Specific patch is built against, for example, 22. This field is used by the service provider.

C

Indicates a Customer-Specific patch.

PatchID

The numeric identifier used to track patches that are relative to the product version patch kit. Patch identifiers have the following format:

MajorID = Five numeric digits, for example, 00223.
MinorID = Two numeric digits, for example, 00.

-UniqueID

A unique kitting ID for the patch, for example, 1875.

-OptionalField

Information about the type of patch and its installation method. This field can contain one or more of the following types in any combination:

E = Early release
S = Security
M = Manual installation

-MfgDate

The year, month, and day the kit was built, in the form of YYYYMMDD.

1.4    Patch Process Resources

HP provides Web sites to help you with the patching process. The following sections provide pointers to general information and additional documents you can use, including an overview of the Web site for patch kit documentation.

1.4.1    Sites for Patching and General Information

1.4.2    Related Documentation and Accessing It On Line

You can find the patch-specific documentation at the following Web site:

http://h30097.www3.hp.com/docs/patch/

You can find Tru64 UNIX and TruCluster software documentation at the following Web site:

http://h30097.www3.hp.com/docs/

The following documentation can help you work with patch kits: