4.3. Managed Software Channel Details
Virtually all custom channel management tasks are carried out within the Managed Software Channel Details page, accessed by clicking Manage Software Channels in the left navigation bar and then the name of channel to be altered. This page consists of two primary tabs: Details and Packages.
Details — Provides basic information about the channel, such as its parent channel, name, summary, and description. Some of this information is modifiable. In addition, a Globally Subscribable checkbox can be seen by Organization Administrators and Channel Administrators. This signifies the default behavior of every channel allowing any user to subscribe systems to it. Unchecking this box and clicking Update Channel causes the appearance of a Subscribers tab, which may then be used to grant certain users subscription permissions to the channel.
Subscribers — Lists users who have subscription permissions to the custom channel. This tab appears on two conditions: First, the logged in user must be an Organization Administrator or a Channel Administrator. Second, the Globally Subscribable checkbox on the Details tab must be unchecked, thereby making the channel subscribable by user. On this tab, select the checkboxes of the users to be allowed to subscribe systems to this channel and click Update. Note that Organization Administrators and Channel Administrators automatically have subscription access to all channels.
Managers — Lists users who have management permissions to the custom channel. This tab appears for Organization Administrators and Channel Administrators. Select the checkboxes of the users to be allowed full administration of this channel and click Update. This status does not enable the user to create new channels. Note that Organization Administrators and Channel Administrators automatically have management access to all channels.
Errata — Provides the Errata associated with each of your custom channels. This tab contains subtabs that allow you to view, add, remove, and clone Errata: List/Remove, Add and Clone. Note that cloning Errata can be done only via RHN Satellite Server.
List/Remove — Displays all of the Errata currently associated with the custom channel and provides a means to cancel that association. To remove Errata from the channel, select their checkboxes and click Remove Errata on the bottom right-hand corner of the page. A confirmation page appears with the Errata to be removed listed. Click Confirm to complete the action.
Add — Enables the addition of Errata to the channel. All of the Errata potentially applicable to the channel are listed. To add Errata to the channel, select the appropriate checkboxes and click Add Errata. Refer to Chapter 5 Custom Errata Management for a comprehensive discussion of Errata management.
Clone — Allows Satellite customers to replicate Errata and associated packages for a cloned channel. This subtab immediately appears populated for channels that were cloned with either the original state or select Errata option but will also gain Errata whenever one is issued for the target (or originating) channel. This makes it useful for channels cloned with the current state option, as well. Refer to Section 4.7 Cloning Software Channels for a full discussion of cloning options.
To include Errata from the target channel in the cloned channel, select either Merge or Clone from each advisory's dropdown menu. The Merge option exists only if the Erratum has been previously cloned. Use it to associate the Erratum across channels and avoid duplicate entries. Use the Clone option to create a new entry, such as when modifying it from the previous clone. By default, cloned Errata inherit the label of the original Red Hat advisory (ex. RHSA-2003:324) with the "RH" prefix replaced with "CL". Subsequent clones of the same advisory have their second letters bumped to denote their order, such as "CM" and "CN". These labels can be altered through the Managed Errata Details page. Refer to Section 5.2 Managed Errata Details for instructions.
In addition to the Merge option, previously cloned Errata contain values within the Owned Errata column. The Erratum label is linked to its details page. The "pub" and "mod" flags within parentheses identify whether the cloned Erratum has been published or modified from the original advisory. A plus sign (+) before the flag indicates affirmative, the cloned Errata has been published. A minus sign (-) before the flag denotes negative, for instance "-mod" may mean a package has been deleted. To find out more about publishing and editing custom Errata, refer to Section 5.1 Manage Errata.
To exclude Errata from the cloned channel, select Do Nothing from their dropdown menus. When satisfied with the changes, click Clone Errata. Review the impending changes on the confirmation page and click Update Errata.
Packages — Provides the packages associated with each of your custom channels. This tab contains subtabs that allow you to view, add, and remove packages: List/Remove and Add.
List/Remove — Displays all of the packages currently associated with the custom channel and provides a means to cancel that association. To remove packages from the channel, select their checkboxes and click Remove Packages on the bottom right-hand corner of the page. A confirmation page appears with the packages to be removed listed. Click Confirm to complete the action.
Important Users should note that this list differs from the package list available through the standard Software Channel Details page in that it displays all versions of a package remaining in the database, rather than just the latest. Therefore, you may revert to a previous version of a package simply by removing the latest version.
Add — Enables the addition of packages to the channel. To see available packages, select an option from the View dropdown menu and click View. To add packages to the channel you are editing, select the appropriate checkboxes and click Add Packages. Refer to Section 4.6 Assigning Packages to Software Channels for a comprehensive discussion of this process.
Compare — Enables the comparison of package lists between different channels. To see the differences, select another channel from the Compare to: dropdown menu and click Compare. A list appears showing all packages not contained by both channels and indicating the existing channel location of each.