5.9 Performing an Online Update

Use the Online Update option to register for the online update service from the Customer Center. You can install updates automatically or manually to the Secure API Manager appliance. You must be connected to the internet to use this feature.

IMPORTANT:In a distributed environment, ensure that you apply the updates to one appliance at a time. Ensure that the appliance is up and functioning before applying updates to the next appliance in your system.

If you need to manage access to the internet and your corporate policy does not allow for the Secure API Manager appliance to have internet access, you can still provide updates to the appliance through a local Subscription Management Tool (SMT).

A Subscription Management Tool (SMT) is a feature provided in SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11. SMT allows you to download the updates to a single SMT server in your network that must have an internet connection. All Secure API Manager appliances receive their updates from that server. For more information, see the Subscription Management Tool Guide. To obtain the proper credentials to use the SMT server, see Mirroring Credentials in the Subscription Management Tool Guide.

NOTE:You must use SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 to have the updates work. The SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 version does not support SMT updates to the Secure API Manager appliance.

You can disconnect the SMT server from the internet but we recommend that you connect the SMT server often to receive the operating system updates. Operating system updates occur daily. By using the SMT server you control when the updates are applied to the Secure API Manager appliance.

You must have the license key for Secure API Manager to activate the Update Channel. You obtain the license key from the Customer Center. If the key is not available, contact the Customer Center through an email from within the Customer Center.

If you have clustered the Secure API Manager appliance, you must log in to each appliance in the cluster and add the license key to each appliance to enable updates. You can schedule updates or manually perform updates on each appliance.

To register for the Online Update Service:

  1. Log in to the appliance management console as the vaadmin user.

    https://mycompany.example.com:9443
  2. Click Online Update.

  3. If the Registration dialog box does not open automatically, click the Register tab.

  4. Specify the Service Type:

    • Local SMT (Proceed to Step 5.)

    • Customer Center (Skip to Step 6.)

  5. (Local SMT) Specify the following information for the SMT server, then continue with Step 7:

    • Host name, such as smt.example.com

    • (Optional) URL for the SSL certificate that communicates with the SMT server

    • (Optional) Namespace path of the file or directory

  6. (Customer Center) Specify the following information about the Customer Center account for this appliance:

    • Email address of the account in the Customer Center

    • Activation key (the same Full License key that you used to activate the product)

    • Allow data send (select any of the following):

      • Hardware Profile

      • Optional information

  7. Click Register.

    Wait while the appliance registers with the service.

  8. Click OK to dismiss the confirmation.

After you have registered the appliance, you can view a list of the needed updates, or view a list of installed updates. You can use manual or automatic options to update the appliance.

To perform other actions after registration:

  • Update Now: Click Update Now to trigger downloaded updates.

    WARNING:If the updates require a reboot of the appliance, ensure that you restart the Secure API Manager components in the proper order. Otherwise, the components will stop communicating with each other. For more information, see Restarting Secure API Manager.

  • Schedule: Configure the type of updates to download and whether to automatically agree to the licenses.

    To schedule online updates:

    1. Click the Schedule tab.

    2. Select a schedule for download updates (Manual, Daily, Weekly, Monthly).

  • View Info: Click View Info to display a list of installed and downloaded software updates.

  • Refresh: Click Refresh to reload the status of updates on the appliance.