Choosing Between RPM and Tarball Distributions

Distribution Format Overview

Xi Software provides two distribution formats:

RPM packages : Native RedHat Package Manager format for Linux

Tarball archives : Traditional Unix compressed tar format with installation scripts

RPM Distributions

What RPM Provides

Package management integration : Works with yum, dnf, rpm commands

Dependency tracking : System tracks installed packages and versions

Automatic file management : Permissions, ownership set correctly during installation

Clean uninstallation : rpm -e removes all files cleanly

Upgrade path : rpm -U upgrades existing installation

Trial licence included : Ready to start immediately after installation

RPM Naming Convention

Follows RedHat standard scheme:

<product_blend>-<version+build>-<buildOS>.<arch>.rpm

Example:

xibatch_legacy_standard-1.7.0+6654775c-rockylinux9.x86_64.rpm

Components:

• product_blend: xibatch_legacy_standard
• version+build: 1.7.0+6654775c
• buildOS: rockylinux9 (RHEL compatible)
• arch: x86_64

Installing RPM

bash

# Install new package
sudo rpm -ivh xibatch_legacy_standard-1.7.0+6654775c-rockylinux9.x86_64.rpm

# Upgrade existing installation
sudo rpm -Uvh xibatch_legacy_standard-1.7.1+8d9e0f1a-rockylinux9.x86_64.rpm

# Using yum/dnf
sudo dnf install ./xibatch_legacy_standard-1.7.0+6654775c-rockylinux9.x86_64.rpm

Removing RPM

bash

# Uninstall package
sudo rpm -e xibatch_legacy_standard

# List installed Xi packages
rpm -qa | grep legacy

RPM Compatibility

Built on: Rocky Linux / AlmaLinux (RHEL-compatible)

Compatible with:

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8, 9, 10
• Rocky Linux 8, 9
• AlmaLinux 8, 9
• CentOS Stream 8, 9
• Oracle Linux 8, 9

Version matching:

• "rockylinux8" RPM for RHEL 8 family
• "rockylinux9" RPM for RHEL 9 family
• "rockylinux10" RPM for RHEL 10 family (forthcoming)

When to Use RPM

Use RPM packages when:

• Running RHEL or compatible Linux distribution
• Want native package management integration
• Need clean upgrade/downgrade capability
• Prefer automated file permission handling
• Using system management tools (Satellite, Katello)

Tarball Distributions

What Tarball Provides

Universal compatibility : Works on any Unix or Linux system

Installation scripts : INSTALL script guides installation process

Uninstallation support : UNINSTALL script provided for clean removal

Platform flexibility : Same format across all Unix variants

Installation control : Choose custom paths and options during installation

Tarball Naming Convention

<arch>-<mfr>-<osname>-<product>-<blend>-<version+build>.tar.gz

Examples:

x86_64-linux-ubuntu22.04-xibatch_legacy-standard-1.7.0+6654775c.tar.gz
parisc-hp-hpux11.31-xitext_legacy-standard-1.24.0+6654775c.tar.gz
powerpc-ibm-aix7.2-xibatch_legacy-standard-1.7.0+6654775c.tar.gz
sparc-sun-solaris11.4-xitext_legacy-standard-1.24.0+6654775c.tar.gz
aarch64-linux-ubuntu22.04-xibatch_legacy-standard-1.7.0+6654775c.tar.gz

Extracting Tarball

bash

# Extract archive
tar xzf x86_64-linux-ubuntu22.04-xibatch_legacy-standard-1.7.0+6654775c.tar.gz

# Navigate to extracted directory
cd xibatch_legacy-standard-1.7.0/

# View contents
ls

Typical contents:

• INSTALL - Installation script
• UNINSTALL - Removal script
• README - Installation instructions
• Binary directories
• Platform-specific files

Installing from Tarball

bash

# Run installer as root
sudo ./INSTALL

The INSTALL script:

1. Detects platform and configuration
2. Prompts for installation paths
3. Creates necessary users/groups
4. Copies binaries to appropriate locations
5. Sets file permissions
6. Configures system startup
7. Installs initial licence

Uninstalling Tarball Installation

bash

# Navigate to distribution directory
cd /usr/spool/xi_distrib/Batch  # or Text

# Run uninstaller
sudo ./UNINSTALL

Platform Coverage

Linux distributions:

• Ubuntu, Debian (all versions)
• SUSE Linux Enterprise, openSUSE
• Fedora
• Arch Linux
• Any Linux with compatible kernel

Unix systems:

• HP-UX 11.11, 11.23, 11.31 (PA-RISC and Itanium)
• IBM AIX 6.1, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 (POWER)
• Oracle Solaris 10, 11 (SPARC and x86)
• FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD

Architectures:

• x86_64 (Intel/AMD 64-bit)
• aarch64 (ARM 64-bit)
• parisc (HP PA-RISC)
• powerpc (IBM POWER)
• sparc (Sun SPARC)
• i386 (32-bit x86, legacy)

When to Use Tarball

Use tarball distributions when:

• Running non-RHEL Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE)
• Installing on traditional Unix (HP-UX, AIX, Solaris)
• Need complete installation control
• Custom paths required
• RPM not available for your platform
• ARM-based systems

Comparing RPM and Tarball

Migration Between Formats

Moving from tarball to RPM installation (or vice versa):

1. Export current configuration (jobs, printers, users)
2. Stop running services
3. Uninstall current version
4. Install new format
5. Import configuration
6. Verify operation

Follow standard migration procedures documented in Administrator Guide.

Recommendations

For production RHEL/Rocky/Alma systems: Use RPM packages for best integration and manageability.

For Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE: Use tarball distributions.

For HP-UX, AIX, Solaris: Use platform-specific tarball (only option available).

For heterogeneous environments: May use both - RPM on RHEL systems, tarball on others.

For testing/development: Either format acceptable - choose based on familiarity.

Getting Help

RPM installation issues: Check rpm -V xibatch_legacy_standard to verify package integrity.

Tarball installation issues: Review INSTALL script output and system logs.

Format selection questions: Contact support@xisl.com for guidance.

Both formats install identical binaries and provide equivalent functionality. Format choice affects installation method only, not product features or performance.