Creating composite repositories

A composite repository contains a repository.config file that lists locations of other repositories.

Before you begin

Determine the types of repositories to use and the types of access for a repository. For more information about repository types and access, see Repositories.

A composite repository can list network, electronic software delivery (ESD), file, or composite repositories. To access a composite repository from an HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP server, all repositories must be network repositories.

You can use Packaging Utility to create a network repository from an ESD repository, see Copying packages in wizard mode.

About this task

Reasons to use composite repositories:
  • Provide one repository location for your users. The location of a composite repository can remain the same while the repositories listed in the composite repository can change locations. For example, add the location of the composite repository to a response file. To change the repositories that you use for the response file, edit the repository.config file for the composite repository. You do not need to change the location of the composite repository in the response file.
  • If you use remote repositories, a composite repository allows users to access one repository to obtain later versions of a package. For example, you create a composite repository for Product A. You update the repository.config file as later versions of Product A become available. Users access only the composite repository for Product A instead of accessing a new repository each time a version of Product A is released.
  • If you support multiple groups of users that use the same package, you can maintain one repository for the package but use a different composite repository for each group.

Procedure

  1. Create a directory for the composite repository.
    Directory examples:
    • Windows: C:\repository\composite
    • Linux®, UNIX, IBM i, and IBM z/OS®: /opt/repository/composite
    • OS X operating system: /Applications/repository/composite
    • URL: http://my.server.com/repository/composite
  2. Create a text file with this name: repository.config, then save the file to the directory that you created for the composite repository.
  3. Add the following lines to the repository.config file: 
    LayoutPolicy=Composite
LayoutPolicyVersion=0.0.0.1
repository.url.01=location_repository_A
repository.url.02=location_repository_B
repository.url.03=location_repository_C
repository.url.04=location_repository_D
    The LayoutPolicy and LayoutPolicyVersion lines are required.

    The repository.url lines are locations for the repositories that you include in the composite repository. Make each repository.url line unique by adding a sequence number, for example, repository.url.01. The location of the repository can be a URL, an absolute path, or a relative path.

    Table 1. Examples of repository locations
    Repository Location format Example Comment
    URL repository.url.01=http://my.server.com/product_A/repository/ You must use network repositories with the URL format.

    For more information about repository types, see Repositories.
    Absolute path Windows: repository.url.01=C:\\repositories\\repository_A\\

    Linux, UNIX, IBM i, and z/OS: repository.url.02=/opt/repositories/repository_B/

    OS X operating system: repoistory.url.03 = /Applications/repositories/repository_C

    		 If you use a backslash, you must escape this character by using a second backslash: \\
    Relative path Windows: repository.url.01=..\repository_A\\

    Linux, UNIX, IBM i, and z/OS: repository.url.01=../repository_D/

    OS X operating system: repoistory.url.01 = ../repository_B

    		 The path is relative to the location of the repository.config file.
  4. To use the composite repository, add the composite repository to your list of repositories.