Overview #

RELIANOID Load Balancer systems allow the installation of extra or third-party packages through standard APT repositories.
To preserve system integrity and ensure RELIANOID packages are always preferred, APT pinning must be configured before adding any external repository.

This article explains how to:

• Ensure RELIANOID packages have priority over third-party sources
• Add external APT repositories (example: Debian Bookworm)
• Apply updates using the RELIANOID update mechanism
• Use the same procedure for online and offline environments

Prerequisites #

• Root or sudo access to the RELIANOID system
• RELIANOID 8.x or later
• Basic familiarity with Debian APT repositories

Configure APT Pinning for RELIANOID Packages #

To ensure that RELIANOID packages are always preferred over any third-party repository, an APT preferences file must exist.

Check or create the pinning file #

Verify that the following file exists:

/etc/apt/preferences.d/relianoid.pref

If it does not exist, create it:

touch /etc/apt/preferences.d/relianoid.pref

Add the RELIANOID pinning configuration #

Edit the file and ensure it contains exactly the following content:

Package: *
Pin: release o=Relianoid
Pin-Priority: 700

What this configuration does

• Gives higher priority to packages published by RELIANOID
• Prevents third-party repositories from overriding RELIANOID packages
• Allows installation of additional packages safely

This configuration is mandatory before adding any external APT source.

Add Third-Party APT Repository Sources #

Once pinning is configured, users can add additional repositories under:
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/

Each repository should be defined in its own .list file.

Example: Adding Debian Bookworm APT Sources #

The following example shows how to add the official Debian Bookworm repositories.

Create a new source list file #

nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-bookworm.list

Add Debian Bookworm repositories #

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free

Save and exit the file.

Note: Only add repositories that are strictly required for your use case. RELIANOID packages will continue to be preferred due to the pinning configuration.

Apply Updates Using the RELIANOID Update System #

RELIANOID provides its own update mechanism, which must always be used instead of running apt upgrade directly.

Update the package list #

noid-updater

This command:

• Updates the APT package index
• Applies RELIANOID pinning rules
• Detects available updates

Proceed with the update #

noid-updater -i

This command:

• Installs available updates
• Ensures RELIANOID packages are prioritized
• Safely applies third-party package updates when applicable

Online and Offline Compatibility #

This procedure is valid for:

• Online upgrades using remote APT repositories
• Offline upgrades using mounted ISOs or local APT repositories

As long as the RELIANOID pinning file is present and correctly configured, package priority and system integrity are preserved in both scenarios.

Summary #

By following this procedure, RELIANOID administrators can safely extend the system with third-party packages while ensuring:

• RELIANOID packages always have priority
• System stability and supportability are maintained
• A consistent update process is used across online and offline environments

For further assistance, contact RELIANOID Support or consult additional Knowledge Base articles related to package management and updates.