Chapter 9. Configuring Host Collections

A host collection is a group of multiple content hosts. This feature enables you to perform the same action on multiple hosts at once. These actions can include the installation, removal, and update of packages and errata, change of assigned life cycle environment, and change of Content View. You can create host collections to suit your requirements, and those of your company. For example, group hosts in host collections by function, department, or business unit.

9.1. Creating a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to create host collections.

To Create a Host Collection:

  1. Click Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Click New Host Collection.
  3. Add the Name of the host collection.
  4. Clear Unlimited Content Hosts, and enter the desired maximum number of hosts in the Limit field.
  5. Add the Description of the host collection.
  6. Click Save.

For CLI Users

To create a host collection, enter the following command: 

# hammer host-collection create \
--organization "Your_Organization" \
--name hc_name

9.2. Cloning a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to clone a host collection.

To Clone a Host Collection:

  1. Click Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. On the left hand panel, click the host collection you want to clone.
  3. Click Copy Collection.
  4. Specify a name for the cloned collection.
  5. Click Create.

9.3. Removing a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to remove a host collection.

To Remove a Host Collection:

  1. Click Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Choose the host collection to be removed.

  3. Click Remove. An alert box appears: 

    Are you sure you want to remove host collection Host Collection Name?
  4. Click Remove.

9.4. Adding a Host to a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to add hosts to host collections.

Prerequisites

A host must be registered to Red Hat Satellite to add it to a Host Collection. For more information about registering hosts, Chapter 3, Registering Hosts.

Note that if you add a host to a host collection, the Satellite auditing system does not log the change.

To Add Hosts to a Host Collection:

  1. Click Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Click the host collection where the host should be added.
  3. On the Hosts tab, select the Add subtab.
  4. Select the hosts to be added from the table and click Add Selected.

For CLI Users

To add hosts to a host collection, enter the following command: 

# hammer host-collection add-host \
--id hc_ID \
--host-ids host_ID1,host_ID2...

9.5. Removing a Host from a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to remove hosts from host collections.

Note that if you remove a host from a host collection, the host collection record in the database is not modified so the Satellite auditing system does not log the change.

To Remove Hosts from a Host Collection:

  1. Click Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Choose the desired host collection.
  3. On the Hosts tab, select the List/Remove subtab.
  4. Select the hosts you want to remove from the host collection and click Remove Selected.

9.6. Adding Content to a Host Collection

These steps show how to add content to host collections in Red Hat Satellite.

9.6.1. Adding Packages to a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to add packages to host collections.

Prerequisites

  • The content to be added should be available in one of the existing repositories or added prior to this procedure.
  • Content should be promoted to the environment where the hosts are assigned.

To Add Packages to Host Collections:

  1. Click Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Click the host collection where the package should be added.
  3. On the Collection Actions tab, click Package Installation, Removal, and Update.
  4. To update all packages, click the Update All Packages button to use the default method. Alternatively, select the drop-down icon to the right of the button to select a method to use. Selecting the via remote execution - customize first menu entry will take you to the Job invocation page where you can customize the action.
  5. Select the Package or Package Group radio button as required.

  6. In the field provided, specify the package or package group name. Then click:

    • Install — to install a new package using the default method. Alternatively, select the drop-down icon to the right of the button and select a method to use. Selecting the via remote execution - customize first menu entry will take you to the Job invocation page where you can customize the action.
    • Update — to update an existing package in the host collection using the default method. Alternatively, select the drop-down icon to the right of the button and select a method to use. Selecting the via remote execution - customize first menu entry will take you to the Job invocation page where you can customize the action.

9.6.2. Adding Errata to a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to add errata to host collections.

Prerequisites

  • The errata to be added should be available in one of the existing repositories or added prior to this procedure.
  • Errata should be promoted to the environment where the hosts are assigned.

To Add Errata to a Host Collection:

  1. Click Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Select the host collection where the errata should be added.
  3. On the Collection Actions tab, click Errata Installation.
  4. Select the errata you want to add to the host collection and click the Install Selected button to use the default method. Alternatively, select the drop-down icon to the right of the button to select a method to use. Selecting the via remote execution - customize first menu entry will take you to the Job invocation page where you can customize the action.

9.7. Removing Content from a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to remove packages from host collections.

To Remove Content from a Host Collection:

  1. Click Hosts > Host Collections.
  2. Click the host collection where the package should be removed.
  3. On the Collection Actions tab, click Package Installation, Removal, and Update.
  4. Select the Package or Package Group radio button as required.
  5. In the field provided, specify the package or package group name.
  6. Click the Remove button to remove the package or package group using the default method. Alternatively, select the drop-down icon to the right of the button and select a method to use. Selecting the via remote execution - customize first menu entry will take you to the Job invocation page where you can customize the action.

9.8. Changing the Life Cycle Environment or Content View of a Host Collection

The following procedure shows how to change the assigned life cycle environment or Content View of host collections.

To Change the Life Cycle Environment or Content View of a Host Collection:

  1. Click Hosts > Host Collection.
  2. Selection the host collection where the life cycle environment or Content View should be changed.
  3. On the Collection Actions tab, click Change assigned Life Cycle Environment or Content View.
  4. Select the life cycle environment to be assigned to the host collection.
  5. Select the required Content View from the list.

  6. Click Assign.

    Note

    The changes take effect in approximately 4 hours. To make the changes take effect immediately, on the host, enter the following command: 

    # subscription-manager refresh

    You can use remote execution to run this command on multiple hosts at the same time.