Yellow dog Updater, Modified (YUM), the default patch manager for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, replaces the Endpoint Dependency Resolver (EDR) utilities that Patch Management for Enterprise Linux previously used. Patch Management for Red Hat Enterprise Linux that uses YUM applies to both Red Hat Linux Enterprise versions 5 and 6.
Previously, the Patch Management for Red Hat Enterprise Linux sites used a set of utilities that are called Endpoint Dependency Resolver utilities to handle package dependencies on the endpoint. YUM replaces these EDR utilities and gives you more flexibility in terms of patch deployment and providing results that are in parallel with Red Hat solutions.
YUM is a package management tool that updates, installs, and removes Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) packages. YUM uses a command-line interface and simplifies the process of installing, uninstalling, and updating packages, so long as there is access to the YUM repository.
It is highly suggested that users start to use the RHEL Native tools sites as YUM reduces dependency issues and improves performance. There is no marked difference in how the EDR and YUM native tools sites are used when deploying patches. To use YUM, users must subscribe to the Patches for RHEL Natives tool sites. To learn about subscribing to the Patches for RHEL Native tools sites, see Subscribing to the Patches for RHEL sites.
Native tools content capture file relevance differently from EDR. EDR checks for packages that are earlier or less than a certain version, by using the relevance clause not exist lower version of file. Native tools content is more restrictive and checks for packages that are less or earlier than a certain version, as well as not greater or later than a certain version. Native tools content uses the relevance clause checks for exist lower version of file, but not exist higher version of file.
In the likelihood that both tools are applied to the same deployment, the difference of the EDR and Native tools methods might lead to a difference in relevance results. It is highly suggested that users use the Native tools sites.