Red Hat NETWORK PROXY 5.3.0 -, Installation Manual, Page: 8 / 48

Chapter 1. Introduction
4
type of RHN client. Clients are thus not affected by the route a request takes to reach a Red Hat
Network Server. All the logic is implemented in the RHN Proxy Servers and Red Hat Network Servers.
Optionally, the RHN Package Manager can be installed and configured to serve custom packages.
Any package that is not an official Red Hat package, including custom packages written specifically
for an organization, can only be served from a private software channel (also referred to as a custom
software channel). After creating a private RHN channel, the custom RPM packages are associated
with that channel by uploading the package headers to the RHN Servers. Only the headers are
uploaded, not the actual package files. The headers are required because they contain crucial RPM
information, such as software dependencies, that allows RHN to automate package installation. The
actual custom RPM packages are stored on the RHN Proxy Server and sent to the client systems from
inside the organization's local area network.
Configuring a computer network to use RHN Proxy Servers is straightforward. The Red Hat Network
applications on the client systems must be configured to connect to the RHN Proxy Server instead of
the Red Hat Network Servers. Refer to the
RHN Client Configuration Guide
for details. On the proxy
side, one has to specify the next proxy in the chain (which eventually ends with a Red Hat Network
Server). If the RHN Package Manager is used, the client systems must be subscribed to the private
RHN channel.