6.3. Synchronization via Satellite Export

The Red Hat Network Satellite Exporter (rhn-satellite-exporter) tool exports Satellite content in an XML format, which a user imports into another identical Satellite. Export the content into a chosen directory with the -d option, transport the directory to another Satellite, and use the Red Hat Network Satellite Synchronization Tool to import the contents. This synchronizes the two Satellites.
The Red Hat Network Satellite Exporter provides the following content:
  • Channel Families
  • Architectures
  • Channel metadata
  • Blacklists
  • RPMs
  • RPM metadata
  • Errata
  • Kickstarts
To perform a Red Hat Network Satellite Exporter export, the following prerequisites must be met:
  • The Satellite installation must have been performed successfully.
  • There must be sufficient disk space in the directory specified in the --dir option to contain the exported contents.

6.3.1. Performing an Export

Configure the Satellite in the manner to duplicate into another Satellite or backup to a storage solution. Execute the command as root. 
# rhn-satellite-exporter --dir=/var/rhn-sat-export --no-errata
When finished, the export directory may be moved to another Satellite or a storage solution using rsync or scp -r.
The Red Hat Network Satellite Exporter offers several command line options. To use them, insert the option and appropriate value after the rhn-satellite-exporter command.

Table 6.2. Red Hat Network Satellite Exporter Options

Option Description
-d, --dir= Place the exported information into this directory.
-cCHANNEL_LABEL, --channel=CHANNEL_LABEL Process data for this specific channel (specified by label) only. NOTE: the channel's *label* is NOT the same as the channel's *name*.
--list-channels List all available channels and exit.
--list-steps List all of the steps that rhn-satellite-exporter takes while exporting data. These can be used as values for --step.
-p --print-configuration Print the configuration and exit.
--print-report Print a report to the terminal when the export is complete.
--no-rpms Do not retrieve actual RPMs.
--no-packages Do not export RPM metadata.
--no-errata Do not process errata information.
--no-kickstarts Do not process kickstart data (provisioning only).
--debug-level=LEVEL_NUMBER Override the amount of messaging sent to log files and generated on the screen set in /etc/rhn/rhn.conf, 0-6 (2 is default).
--start-date=START_DATE The start date limit that the last modified dates are compared against. Must be in the format YYYYMMDDHH24MISS (for example, 20071225123000)
--end-date=END_DATE The end date limit that the last modified dates are compared against. Must be typed in the format YYYYMMDDHH24MISS (for example, 20071231235900)
--make-isos=MAKE_ISOS Create a channel dump ISO directory called satellite-isos (for example, --make-isos=cd or dvd
--email Email a report of what was exported and what errors may have occurred.
--traceback-mail=EMAIL Alternative email address for --email.
--db=DB Include alternate database connect string: username/password@SID.
--hard-links Export the RPM and kickstart files with hard links to the original files.
Select the contents, such as RPMs, errata, or kickstarts, you would like to export using these command line options.
The amount of time it takes rhn-satellite-exporter to export data is dependent on the number and size of the channels being exported. Using the --no-packages, --no-kickstarts, --no-errata, and --no-rpms options reduces the amount of time required for rhn-satellite-exporter to run, but also prevents potentially useful information from being exported. For that reason, these options should only be used when you are certain that you will not need the content that they exclude. Additionally, you must use the matching options for satellite-sync when importing the data. For example, if you use --no-kickstarts with rhn-satellite-exporter you must specify the --no-kickstarts option when importing the data.
When exporting an Red Hat Network base channel, ensure to export the tools channel associated with that base channel. The tools channels contain the auto-kickstart packages, which install packages for kickstarting a machine through the Satellite.