Red Hat Summit Red Hat SummitSupportConsoleDevelopersStart a trialContact

4.2. Using the Red Hat Network Configuration Client

As the name implies, the Red Hat Network Configuration Client (rhncfg-client) is installed and run from an individual client system. From there you may use it to gain knowledge about how Red Hat Network deploys configuration files to the client.
The Red Hat Network Configuration Client offers these primary modes: list, get, channels, diff, and verify.

4.2.1. Listing Configuration Files
Copy link

To list the configuration files for the machine and the labels of the config channels containing them, issue the command: 
rhncfg-client list
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
The output resembles the following list: 
Config Channel      File
config-channel-17   /etc/example-config.txt
config-channel-17   /var/spool/aalib.rpm
config-channel-14   /etc/rhn/rhn.conf
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
These are the configuration files that apply to your system. However, there may be duplicate files present in the other channels. For example, issue the following command: 
rhncfg-manager list config-channel-14
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
and observe the following output: 
Files in config channel 'config-channel-14' /etc/example-config.txt /etc/rhn/rhn.conf
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
You may then wonder where the second version of /etc/example-config.txt went. The rank of the /etc/example-config.txt file in config-channel-17 was higher than that of the same file in config-channel-14. As a result, the version of the configuration file in config-channel-14 is not deployed for this system, although the file still resides in the channel. The rhncfg-client command does not list the file because it will not be deployed on this system.

4.2.2. Getting a Configuration File
Copy link

To download the most relevant configuration file for the machine, issue the command: 
rhncfg-client get /etc/example-config.txt
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
You should see output resembling: 
Deploying /etc/example-config.txt
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
View the contents of the file with less or another pager. Note that the file is selected as the most relevant based upon the rank of the config channel containing it. This is accomplished within the Configuration tab of the System Details page.

4.2.3. Viewing Configuration Channels
Copy link

To view the labels and names of the config channels that apply to the system, issue the command: 
rhncfg-client channels
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
You should see output resembling: 
Config channels: Label Name ----- ---- config-channel-17 config chan 2 config-channel-14 config chan 1
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
The following table lists the options available for rhncfg-client get:
Expand
Table 4.2. rhncfg-client get options
Option Description
--topdir=TOPDIR Make all file operations relative to this string.
--exclude=EXCLUDE Excludes a file from being deployed with 'get'/ May be used multiple times.
-h, --help Show help message and exit

4.2.4. Differentiating between Configuration Files
Copy link

To view the differences between the config files deployed on the system and those stored by Red Hat Network, issue the command: 
rhncfg-client diff
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
The output resembles the following: 
[root@testsatellite root]# rhncfg-client diff
--- /etc/test
+++ /etc/test	2013-08-28 00:14:49.405152824 +1000
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 This is the first line
+This is the second line added
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
In addition, you may include the --topdir option to compare config files in Red Hat Network with those located in an arbitrary (and unused) location on the client system, like so: 
[root@ root]# rhncfg-client diff --topdir /home/test/blah/ /usr/bin/diff: /home/test/blah/etc/example-config.txt: No such file or directory /usr/bin/diff: /home/test/blah/var/spool/aalib.rpm: No such file or directory
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap

4.2.5. Verifying Configuration Files
Copy link

To quickly determine if client configuration files are different than those associated with it via Red Hat Network, issue the command: 
rhncfg-client verify
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
The output resembles the following: 
modified /etc/example-config.txt /var/spool/aalib.rpm
Copy to Clipboard Toggle word wrap
The file example-config.txt is locally modified, while aalib.rpm is not.
The following table lists the options available for rhncfg-client verify:
Expand
Table 4.3. rhncfg-client verify options
Option Description
-v, --verbose Increase the amount of output detail. Displays differences in the mode, owner, and group permissions for the specified config file.
-o, --only Only show files that differ.
-h, --help Show help message and exit
Back to top
Red Hat logoGithubredditYoutubeTwitter

Learn

Try, buy, & sell

Communities

About Red Hat Documentation

We help Red Hat users innovate and achieve their goals with our products and services with content they can trust. Explore our recent updates.

Making open source more inclusive

Red Hat is committed to replacing problematic language in our code, documentation, and web properties. For more details, see the Red Hat Blog.

About Red Hat

We deliver hardened solutions that make it easier for enterprises to work across platforms and environments, from the core datacenter to the network edge.

Theme

© 2025 Red Hat