# using zypper to patch **URL:** \ **Category:** SLES Updates\ **Created:** [May 3, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/using-zypper-to-patch/23929 "2013-05-03T17:16:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![System1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/51bf81/32.png) [@System1](https://forums.suse.com/u/System1)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/using-zypper-to-patch/23929/1 "2013-05-03T17:16:21Z")
# cat /etc/\*release SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (x86\_64) VERSION = 11 PATCHLEVEL = 2 LSB\_VERSION=“core-2.0-noarch:core-3.2-noarch:core-4.0-noarch:core-2.0-x86\_64:core-3.2-x86\_64:core-4.0-x86\_64” For OES, Novell has a recommended zypper command line to keep the server updated. I’m not finding the recommended command line for SLES in the docs. For the above listed server, should I be using zypper patch, zypper up, or something else? ---
**Author:** ![KEVIN1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KEVIN1](https://forums.suse.com/u/KEVIN1)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/using-zypper-to-patch/23929/2 "2013-05-03T19:13:12Z")
KeN Etter wrote: [color=blue] > # cat /etc/\*release > > SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (x86\_64) > VERSION = 11 > PATCHLEVEL = 2 > LSB\_VERSION=“core-2.0-noarch:core-3.2-noarch:core-4.0-noarch:core-2.0- > x86\_64:core-3.2-x86\_64:core-4.0-x86\_64” > > For OES, Novell has a recommended zypper command line to keep the > server updated. I’m not finding the recommended command line for SLES > in the docs. For the above listed server, should I be using zypper > patch, zypper up, or something else?[/color] See: SLES 11 Administration Guide 6.1 Using Zypper [https://www.suse.com/documentation/sles11/book\_sle\_admin/?page=/documentation/sles11/book\_sle\_admin/data/sec\_zypper.html](https://www.suse.com/documentation/sles11/book_sle_admin/?page=/documentation/sles11/book_sle_admin/data/sec_zypper.html) – Kevin Boyle - Knowledge Partner If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, show your appreciation and click on the star below… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/using-zypper-to-patch/23929/3 "2013-05-03T23:52:50Z")
On Fri, 03 May 2013 16:13:12 GMT, “KBOYLE” [KBOYLE@no-mx.forums.suse.com](mailto:KBOYLE@no-mx.forums.suse.com) wrote: [color=blue] > KeN Etter wrote: > [color=green] > > > # cat /etc/\*release > > > > SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (x86\_64) > > VERSION = 11 > > PATCHLEVEL = 2 > > LSB\_VERSION=“core-2.0-noarch:core-3.2-noarch:core-4.0-noarch:core-2.0- > > x86\_64:core-3.2-x86\_64:core-4.0-x86\_64” > > > > For OES, Novell has a recommended zypper command line to keep the > > server updated. I’m not finding the recommended command line for SLES > > in the docs. For the above listed server, should I be using zypper > > patch, zypper up, or something else?[/color] > > See: > SLES 11 Administration Guide > 6.1 Using Zypper > [https://www.suse.com/documentation/sles11/book\_sle\_admin/?page=/documentation/sles11/book\_sle\_admin/data/sec\_zypper.html](https://www.suse.com/documentation/sles11/book_sle_admin/?page=/documentation/sles11/book_sle_admin/data/sec_zypper.html)[/color] I already read that prior to posting. Just gives me a bunch of options, but I’m new enough to linux that it doesn’t really help. For OES, Novell was kind enough to provide the recommended command line. I don’t see that for SLES. ---
**Author:** ![smflood](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forums.suse.com/smflood/32/10576_2.png) [@smflood](https://forums.suse.com/u/smflood)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/using-zypper-to-patch/23929/4 "2013-05-04T00:41:27Z")
KeN Etter wrote: [color=blue] > I already read that prior to posting. Just gives me a bunch of > options, but I’m new enough to linux that it doesn’t really help. > For OES, Novell was kind enough to provide the recommended command > line. I don’t see that for SLES.[/color] Well OES is an add-on for SLES and zypper is a package provided with SLES not OES … ## HTH. Simon SUSE Knowledge Partner ---
**Author:** ![Willem1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c57346/32.png) [@Willem1](https://forums.suse.com/u/Willem1)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 11:35am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/using-zypper-to-patch/23929/5 "2013-05-04T11:35:39Z")
[QUOTE=KeN Etter;13430]# cat /etc/\*release SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (x86\_64) VERSION = 11 PATCHLEVEL = 2 LSB\_VERSION=“core-2.0-noarch:core-3.2-noarch:core-4.0-noarch:core-2.0-x86\_64:core-3.2-x86\_64:core-4.0-x86\_64” For OES, Novell has a recommended zypper command line to keep the server updated. I’m not finding the recommended command line for SLES in the docs. For the above listed server, should I be using zypper patch, zypper up, or something else?[/QUOTE] For SLES servers I’ve simply been using “zypper ref” followed by “zypper up”. This should result in having the same updates applied that YaST’s Online Update module would have you do. Cheers, Willem ---
**Author:** ![Willem1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c57346/32.png) [@Willem1](https://forums.suse.com/u/Willem1)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 12:28pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/using-zypper-to-patch/23929/6 "2013-05-04T12:28:17Z")
[QUOTE=Magic31;13461]For SLES servers I’ve simply been using “zypper ref” followed by “zypper up”. This should result in having the same updates applied that YaST’s Online Update module would have you do. Cheers, Willem[/QUOTE] And to bring some nuance in what I said, always go over the list of packages that will be updated and possibly added or removed (the one to be watchful of). “zypper up” differs with “zypper patch” in that way that it will update all packages available, but without a change of vendor of the current package (and there are some more rules). Adding a specific product (like OES) onto SLES can change how one’s required to update the system and there can be different results depending on which method has been used to update the system. Still, “zypper up” should be a safe method, and the same goes for using YaST’s YOU (which is supported with OES, starting OES 11). That is, talking it you are also using officially supported 7 required repositories that are in a correct working state. Cheers, Willem ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/using-zypper-to-patch/23929/7 "2013-05-06T15:37:44Z")
On Fri, 03 May 2013 21:41:27 GMT, Simon Flood [smflood@no-mx.forums.suse.com](mailto:smflood@no-mx.forums.suse.com) wrote: [color=blue] > KeN Etter wrote: > [color=green] > > > I already read that prior to posting. Just gives me a bunch of > > options, but I’m new enough to linux that it doesn’t really help. > > For OES, Novell was kind enough to provide the recommended command > > line. I don’t see that for SLES.[/color] > > Well OES is an add-on for SLES and zypper is a package provided with SLES > not OES …[/color] I understand that. It is just that Novell states in their docs the specific zypper command line to use when updating an OES server. I’m assuming they did so because they knew that there would be admins such as myself who are making the transition from NetWare to Linux and would need to know exactly how to use zypper. When I look at the zypper docs for SLES, it talks about the options, but doesn’t explain well enough for me to know which method to use. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/using-zypper-to-patch/23929/8 "2013-05-06T15:38:26Z")
On Sat, 04 May 2013 09:34:01 GMT, Magic31 [Magic31@no-mx.forums.suse.com](mailto:Magic31@no-mx.forums.suse.com) wrote: [color=blue] > Magic31;13461 Wrote:[color=green] > > > For SLES servers I’ve simply been using “zypper ref” followed by “zypper > > up”. This should result in having the same updates applied that YaST’s > > Online Update module would have you do. > > > > Cheers, > > Willem[/color] > > And to bring some nuance in what I said, always go over the list of > packages that will be updated and possibly added or removed (the one to > be watchful of). > “zypper up” differs with “zypper patch” in that way that it will update > all packages available, but without a change of vendor of the current > package (and there are some more rules). > > Adding a specific product (like OES) onto SLES can change how one’s > required to update the system and there can be different results > depending on which method has been used to update the system. Still, > “zypper up” should be a safe method, and the same goes for using YaST’s > YOU (which is supported with OES, starting OES 11). That is, talking it > you are also using officially supported 7 required repositories that are > in a correct working state.[/color] Thanks Willem, that is what I was after!