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Updating Different Linux Distribution Types

Understanding how to update packages and entire systems running a variety of Linux distributions is a key concept in managing a heterogeneous environment. After completing this activity, the student will have an understanding of how to use the appropriate package management systems for different distributions to update packages and systems in order to obtain functional and security updates for each.

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Lab Info
Level
Intermediate
Last updated
Sep 23, 2025
Duration
1h 0m

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Table of Contents
  1. Challenge

    Update the Yum Package Manager on the CentOS 7 Server

    The Yum Package Manager can upgrade itself! First, check the current version on your system with:

    yum --version
    

    Like any other package you can use yum to upgrade just a single package (and its dependencies) with the command:

    yum update yum
    

    You can verify by rerunning:

    yum --version
    

    To see it is now running the updated version!

  2. Challenge

    Update the 'VM Tools' on the Ubuntu Virtual Machine

    The Ubuntu system apparently has a lot of libraries and links customized, but needs the latest 'open-vm-tools' package upgraded.

    You can update JUST the package (and required packages/dependencies) with the command:

    apt-get install --only-upgrade open-vm-tools
    

    This will leave any other packages, even if they need upgrading, alone on the system and on their currently installed version.

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