Managing Patches with drd runcmd

DRD-Safe Patches and the drd_unsafe_patch_list File

An HP program was initiated in November 2004 to make all patches DRD-safe. Although most patches delivered after November 2004 are DRD-safe, a few are not. Patches that are not DRD-safe are listed in the file /etc/opt/drd/drd_unsafe_patch_list, which is delivered as a volatile file with the DRD product. The copy of this file on the inactive system image is used to filter patches that are selected for installation with drd runcmd.

	IMPORTANT: When invoked by the drd runcmd operation, the swinstall and swremove commands reject any attempt to install or remove a patch included in the drd_unsafe_patch_list file on the inactive system image.

In the rare event that a new patch is determined not to be DRD-safe, a new version of the drd_unsafe_patch_list file is made available on HP’s IT Resource Center Web site.

To determine if you need to update the drd_unsafe_patch_list files, see the Update the drd_unsafe_patch_list File procedure in the DRD Web site's Downloads and Patches page at: http://docs.hp.com/en/DRD/patch.html.

It is helpful during maintenance planning for system administrators to be able to determine which, if any, patches are not DRD-safe, and to make plans regarding these patches. See the Managing Rare DRD-unsafe Patches white paper, located at http://docs.fc.hp.com/en/oshpux11iv2.html#Dynamic%20Root%20Disk, for information about identifying such patches and alternatives on how to manage them without using the drd runcmd operation.

Patches with Special Installation Instructions

Patches may include Special Installation Instructions, or SIIs, which contain specific tasks for the user to perform when they install certain patches. If you install patches with SIIs on an inactive DRD system image, ensure the following: