[LINK] Keeping FreeBSD up to date vs. Debian

[Carl Makin]

Hi Robin,

On 12/01/2007, at 3:43 PM, Robin Whittle wrote:

> I was referring not to setting up the operating system, but keeping it
> up-to-date in terms of security patches.  I spent a long time  
> trying to
> figure out a foolproof, simple, way of doing this with FreeBSD 5.3  
> - and
> didn't reach a good conclusion.  I am not saying it can't be done -  
> just
> that I couldn't find it after quite a few hours trying.

The tools for keeping up to date in FreeBSD are detailed in the  
FreeBSD Handbook.

The only way to do a *foolproof* upgrade is to do it somewhere else  
first, then upgrade the main system.  I run a FreeBSD 6.1 box as my  
main server here serving a number of mailing lists and websites which  
I upgrade in place regularly with no problems.

Look for cvsup and portupgrade in the handbook for upgrading the  
system, and portaudit in the ports tree for an automated method for  
auditing your installed applications for published security issues.


Carl.