The pkgsrc packaging system uses quarterly release scheme, where only the latest release is being maintained in terms of updates and security patches. There is also a current branch available over CVS. Accelerators are built using quarterly releases:

• pkgsrc-2007Q4, released Jan 8, 2008, on Accelerators deployed March 20 until today
• pkgsrc-2008Q1, released Apr 13, 2008, we are skipping this version …
• pkgsrc-2008Q2, released July 26, 2008, adapted for Accelerators
• 2008Q3, to be released end of September

There are typically major difference between the releases. E.g. with 2008Q1, OpenSSL 0.9.8 was made current, which changes dependencies in most major packages, ultimately resulting in a rebuild of all. It is a good idea to update your Accelerator to the most recent release available, so stay on top of software updates and security patches.

This procedure is intended to run as root. First, make sure you switch to 'root' by using your preferred way. Both using 'su -' (providing root's password), or 'sudo -i' (providing your sudo user's password) would work.

/opt/local/bin/sudo -i

Now change your profile to talk to the new release repository.

/opt/local/bin/gsed -i'' '/PKG_PATH/s/2007Q4/2008Q2/' /root/.profile

Now raise the PKG_PATH variable in your existing shell too:

export PKG_PATH=http://pkgsrc.joyent.com/2008Q2/All

If haven't updated to 2008Q2 or newer yet (which means that you're on 2007Q4), grab the updated PKGSRC config file (mk.conf):

mv /opt/local/etc/mk.conf /opt/local/etc/mk.conf.old
/opt/local/bin/curl -o /opt/local/etc/mk.conf http://pkgsrc.joyent.com/2008Q2/mk.conf

Install the pkg_chk tool (it's patched to work properly, so make sure to get the one from our 2008Q2 repository - should be version 1.95):

/opt/local/sbin/pkg_add -u pkg_chk

Run pkg_chk in 'test' mode to see all the packages that will be updated:

/opt/local/sbin/pkg_chk -ubn

The test run end with an error messages claiming a pkg_chk_update.conf file cannot be accessed, but that's actually OK (since no files are being created in a test run). If you see a stream of packages for which a newer version exists, things are good.

Now, before you actually push the red button, it makes sense to plan. The update typically takes a few minutes, and software may become unavailable during the process, so it's a good measure to think of it as 'server maintenance' or 'downtime' even, and plan accordingly. Can you claim a maintenance and shut off all service? Good. If not letting your users/visitors know would work. Just in case.

When you're ready to go on:

/opt/local/sbin/pkg_chk -ubk

What happens is that pkg_chk first makes a map of all that will be updated. Then it deletes all packages to be processed. And finally re-adds them from the Joyent binary package repository. The '-k' flag makes it continue onto other packages if any package update fails, so feel free to omit 'k' if you want stop immediately when something like that happens. Note however that pkg_chk will be able to resume work any time, and any failed updates will be remembered, until reconciled eventually.

After the first run, inspect the output. You can re-run to get rid of all that succeeded in the first run, and only see the failures.

There are some system packages used by pkgsrc itself, that deserve an update (pax, tnftp, pkg_install, bmake and bootstrap-mk-files). A workaround is needed though, because these tools are involved in the very process of updating packages. The Catch XXII. Let's use a temporary location for these to overcome:

mkdir -p /tmp/pkgsrc.safe
cp -p `pkg_info -L tnftp pax pkg_install bmake|grep bin` /tmp/pkgsrc.safe/
cp -p `pkg_info -L bootstrap-mk-files|grep share` /tmp/pkgsrc.safe/
/opt/local/sbin/pkg_delete -ff tnftp pax pkg_install bmake bootstrap-mk-files
ln -s /tmp/pkgsrc.safe/ftp /usr/local/bin/ftp
ln -s /tmp/pkgsrc.safe/pax /usr/local/bin/pax
ln -s /tmp/pkgsrc.safe/tar /usr/local/bin/tar
/tmp/pkgsrc.safe/pkg_add pkg_install 
/opt/local/sbin/pkg_add tnftp pax bmake

$ /tmp/pkgsrc.safe/pkg_add pkg_install 
ftp: illegal option -- V
usage: ftp [-adfginpstvx] [-m mech] [-T timeout] [hostname [port]]
ftp: illegal option -- V
usage: ftp [-adfginpstvx] [-m mech] [-T timeout] [hostname [port]]
ftp: illegal option -- V
usage: ftp [-adfginpstvx] [-m mech] [-T timeout] [hostname [port]]
ftp: illegal option -- V
usage: ftp [-adfginpstvx] [-m mech] [-T timeout] [hostname [port]]
pkg_add: no pkg found for 'pkg_install', sorry.
pkg_add: 1 package addition failed

export PKG_PATH=http://pkgsrc.joyent.com/2008Q2/All

ln -s /tmp/pkgsrc.safe/ftp /opt/local/bin/ftp
ln -s /tmp/pkgsrc.safe/pax /opt/local/bin/pax
ln -s /tmp/pkgsrc.safe/tar /opt/local/bin/tar

/tmp/pkgsrc.safe/pkg_add tnftp
/tmp/pkgsrc.safe/pkg_add pkg_install

/opt/local/sbin/pkg_add pax bmake

See particular release's page on packages that need special handling:

• pkgsrc-2008Q1
• pkgsrc-2008Q2