What are FasTrack errata packages?

Solution Unverified - Updated

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), all versions
  • Red Hat Network

Issue

  • What is a FasTrack package?
  • Why did the FasTrack packages disappear from the Red Hat Network channel?

Resolution

FasTrack packages are asynchronous errata updates for infrequently updated, non-critical packages in RHEL that fix low- and medium-priority bugs.  Breaking that down:

  • errata packages: new versions of packages that fix bugs or add new features (FasTrack is for bug fixes only, however)

  • asynchronous: the errata packages are released between minor updates of RHEL, for example, between RHEL 6.1 and 6.2

  • infrequently updated: some packages are updated frequently to fix bugs and add new features (e.g., the kernel), while other packages are very stable and rarely, if ever, get an update (e.g. mkbootdisk has been the same version from RHEL 5.0 through RHEL 5.7).  FasTrack is used only for the infrequently updated packages.

  • non-critical-path: some packages are extremely critical to the operation of the system (again, the kernel), while other packages are helpful tools (again, mkbootdisk).  FasTrack updates are only used for the helpful tools where there is less risk of an updated package introducing a critical bug.  If an updated mkbootdisk fixes one bug but introduces another bug, it's extremely unlikely that the new bug will cause the system to crash.

  • low- and medium-priority: FasTrack updates are only used to fix minor bugs, for example, fixing an error in the online help for a command.  High-priority bugs must go through the normal errata process.

The critical and frequently used packages in RHEL get a lot of attention because they're so important, and there is a risk that less important packages might be starved for attention and bugs may go unfixed for a long time.  The FasTrack program was created to remedy that situation and provide a mechanism to fix the minor bugs, but keep the risk low for introducing new bugs into RHEL inadvertently.

After a FasTrack package has been released, it is guaranteed to be included in the next minor update of RHEL.  For example, if fun-and-games-1.0.9-17.el6 is released as a FasTrack errata update after RHEL 6.1, then the updated fun-and-games package will be included as part of RHEL 6.2.

The FasTrack channels in Red Hat Network will be empty after a new minor update for RHEL precisely because the updated packages are included in the base channel for the minor update.  The FasTrack channels will then hold updates packages for RHEL 6.2 until 6.3 is released, and so on.

Product(s)

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