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This is the BSDA Study Guide Book written via a wiki collaboration. This is a work in progress. You may contribute to or discuss this specific page at http://bsdwiki.reedmedia.net/wiki/Chapter_Installing_and_Upgrading_the_OS_and_Software.html. Chapter Installing and Upgrading the OS and Software XXX: I plan to write only the FreeBSD part so we still need authors for the rest (itecu) An important aspect of system administration is tracking installed versions of both the operating system and third-party applications. An advantage of using BSD systems is the availability of multiple tools to assist the system administrator in determining software versions and their dependencies. These tools indicate which software is out-of-date or has existing security vulnerabilities. Assist in upgrading or patching software and its dependencies. When and how installations and upgrades are done is specific to each organization. The successful admin knows how to use the tools which are available for these purposes, and the cautions that are necessary when working on production systems under the supervision of a more senior administrator. Recognize the installation program used by each operating system Recognize which commands are available for upgrading the operating system Understand the difference between a pre-compiled binary and compiling from source Understand when it is preferable to install a pre-compiled binary and how to do so Recognize the available methods for compiling a customized binary Determine what software is installed on a system Determine which software requires upgrading Upgrade installed software Determine which software have outstanding security advisories Follow the instructions in a security advisory to apply a security patch