6.5. Using Inter-Satellite Sync

Now that Inter-Satellite Sync is configured, you can now use it to synchronize channels from the master Satellite to the slave servers.

On the slave servers, configure the Master server hostname and SSL certificate file path in the following lines of the /etc/rhn/rhn.conf file:

iss_parent      = master.satellite.example.com
iss_ca_chain    = /usr/share/rhn/RHN-ORG-TRUSTED-SSL-CERT

Then run the satellite-sync command by typing:

satellite-sync -c your-channel

Note

Any command line options to the satellite-sync command will override any default or customized settings in the /etc/rhn/rhn.conf file.

6.5.1. Syncing between a Development Staging Server and a Production Satellite

There may be instances where an administrator wants to sync data from a staging server that has custom channels that are ready for production use to a production Satellite server.

For example, a production Satellite Server normally syncs directly from RHN Hosted servers for content updates, but will occasionally sync production-ready information from a RHN Satellite development server.

Syncing from RHN Hosted and a Satellite Staging Server

Figure 6.4. Syncing from RHN Hosted and a Satellite Staging Server

Normally, the administrator runs:

satellite-sync -c your-channel

This command downloads directly from data from rhn_parent (usually RHN Hosted, rhn.redhat.com). Then, to sync from the staging Satellite server address , the administrator runs:

satellite-sync --iss-parent=staging-satellite.example.com -c custom-channel

6.5.2. Bi-directional sync

Administrators can configure an environment where two RHN Satellite servers act as masters of each other. For example, Satellite A and B can sync content from one another.

Bi-directional syncing

Figure 6.5. Bi-directional syncing

Both Satellites would need to share SSL certificates, then set the iss_parent option in the /etc/rhn/rhn.conf file of Satellite A to point to the hostname of Satellite B, and do the same for Satellite B to point to Satellite A as the iss_parent.