From: Adam Brown (adam@freestream.com.au)
Subject: Re: apt cache using downloaded updates?
To: luv@luv.asn.au
X-Mailer: KMail [version 1.3.2]
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 12:03:26 +1100

On Sunday 26 January 2003 23:46, opentologic wrote:

> Is there any way to build a cache of debs using those security updates
> downloaded by apt-get update; apt-get install ?
>
> I am soon to be installing debian on a new box and was wondering if I
> could put them to good use in updating the new computer without
> downloading them again?

Hi Toby,

I've been successfuly using a squid cache to this extent. Set up one machine to run a Squid. Point Apt on all machines including the Squid host to the squid by placing the following in /etc/apt/apt.conf :

Acquire
{
http
{
Proxy "http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:3128";
};
};

Ensure that /etc/apt/sources.list points to the same servers and uses the same download method on all your machines

Now all updates should be cached in the Squid. Make sure you leave enough room for all your updates and upgrades.

Alternatively you could use apt-proxy which is designed for this. Having used this for a while I found it to be have defficiencies, particularly with dropouts while downloading that made it pretty much inneffective although there have been updates to the package since I last used it 12 or so months ago.

regards,
Adam