About RHN

Red Hat Network allows administrators to efficiently manage the systems on their network. Through a simple user interface, administrators can perform patch management, updates, monitoring, and maintenance. And because RHN is Web-based, it can be accessed from anywhere. Satellite or Proxy server options provide advanced capabilities and the ability to get updates directly from Red Hat with even greater levels of security and reduced network bandwidth.

Learn how to start using RHN.

Modules

RHN currently offers three modules. Customers can purchase entitlements that allow their systems to be subscribed to the modules and receive RHN services and functionality. Learn more.

Update Module

Complimentary with a subscription to RHEL, the Update Module allows you to easily install new updates to your system, receive priority errata notifications, ensure RPM dependency checking, and more.

Management Module

The Management Module, which includes all the functionality of the Update Module, also gives you the ability to group your systems for easier maintenance, assign role-based permissions, schedule update actions, develop custom content channels (in conjunction with Satellite), and more.

Provisioning Module

The Provisioning Module, which includes all the functionality of the Management Module, provides the ability to manage kickstarts, manage and deploy configuration files, create snapshots of your systems over time and roll your systems back to those snapshots, and more.

Architectures

Red Hat Network has three types of architecture:

Hosted model

The customer's indivdual systems connect with RHN via the internet and exchange packages and information with the central RHN servers.

Proxy model

The customer's individual systems connect to a locally hosted (on the customer network) RHN Proxy. The Proxy aggregates all necessary data and performs some tasks locally, and also communicates via the internet with the central RHN servers. All information stored in the RHN database is kept on the RHN servers.

Satellite model

All RHN functionality (system profiles, reporting data, application server, etc.) is stored locally on the customers network. The Satellite Server connects with RHN over the internet only to download updates (other update methods are available). This model provides customers with the ability to take their RHN solution off the public internet if desired, and also allows for greater optimization and control of your systems.