Chapter 1. The value of registering a RHEL system to Red Hat
Registration establishes an authorized connection between your system and Red Hat. Red Hat issues the registered system, whether a physical or virtual machine, a certificate that identifies and authenticates the system so that it can receive protected content, software updates, security patches, support, and managed services from Red Hat.
With a valid subscription, you can register a Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) system in the following ways:
- During the installation process, using an installer graphical user interface (GUI) or text user interface (TUI)
- After installation, using the command line interface (CLI)
- Automatically, during or after installation, using a Kickstart script or an activation key.
The specific steps to register your system depend on the version of RHEL that you are using and the registration method that you choose.
Registering your system to Red Hat enables features and capabilities that you can use to manage your system and report data. For example, a registered system is authorized to access protected content repositories for subscribed products through the Red Hat Content Delivery Network (CDN) or a Red Hat Satellite Server. These content repositories contain Red Hat software packages and updates that are available only to customers with an active subscription. These packages and updates include security patches, bug fixes, and new features for RHEL and other Red Hat products.
You can use the protected content repositories to manage your system in the following ways:
- Stay up-to-date with the latest security patches and bug fixes for your subscribed products, which helps to ensure that your system is secure and stable.
- Install and update Red Hat software packages and tools, such as Red Hat OpenShift, Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, and Red Hat Satellite, that are only available to customers with an active subscription.
- Benefit from Red Hat expertise and support, including access to technical resources, documentation, and support services.
You can also connect a registered system to various Red Hat hosted services that manage and report system and subscription data and provide other advanced functions. In addition, you can use the Satellite solution for its robust system and subscription management capabilities and its flexible connectivity options that are more tailored to your operational needs.
Registered systems can connect to the following Red Hat managed services:
Red Hat Subscription Management
Select functions for subscription management that were previously on the Red Hat Customer Portal are now available in the Red Hat Hybrid Cloud Console. These functions include subscription inventory, activation keys, and manifests for a connected Red Hat Satellite Server.
The subscriptions service
A subscription reporting service in the Hybrid Cloud Console that provides a visual representation of the subscription usage across the constituent parts of your hybrid infrastructure, including physical and virtual technology deployments; on-premise and cloud environments; and cluster, instance, and workload use cases for select Red Hat product portfolios.
Red Hat Insights
A managed service in the Hybrid Cloud Console that uses predictive analytics, remediation capabilities, and deep domain expertise to simplify complex operational tasks. These tasks include identifying security and performance risks, tracking licenses, and managing costs.
Red Hat Satellite
A systems management solution to deploy, scale, and manage Red Hat infrastructure across physical, virtual, and cloud environments. Satellite enables users to control the full lifecycle of Red Hat systems, including content management, patching, provisioning, configuration, and subscription management. By automating most tasks related to maintaining systems, Satellite helps organizations increase efficiency, reduce operational costs, and enable IT to better respond to strategic business needs.
