Upgrading offline systems

Hello all,

New user here, first post, see how it goes. I'm not a FreeBSD guru, used it for about a year, am now trying to administer some machines, one of which has to remain offline.


Read much of the posts on my search, found this one post here.

So I'm searching for the best method to upgrading offline / non internet connected systems.

What I have been doing (pseudo)
1. Discover vulnerabilities in current version of package 'abcd' (email notifications)
2. Log into online / internet connected box as root (FreeBSD 8.1 i386)
3. Upgrade portstree and upgrade port
# portsnap fetch
# portsnap extract
# portupgrade abcd

4. Create a backup package for download # pkg_create -b abcd (to move this package to the offline / non internet connected box)

5. Burn to CD the result of #4 above
6. Log into offline / non internet connected box as root (FreeBSD 8.1 i386)
7. Do a backup of the package (in case I break something) # pkg_create -b abcd

8. Mount CD / move #4 file to /usr/ports/distfiles/
9. Remove current package # pkg_delete -f abcd

10. Add the new upgraded package # pkg_add file_from_#4_above

11. Troubleshoot errors....
12. Troubleshoot errors....
13. A day later its working

Is there an easier way to upgrade packages on an offline system, regardless if its for a vulnerability or not, it just needs to be easier...

I'm assuming my procedure above shows my inexperience with FreeBSD, but that's the purpose of the post, please help me do this more efficiently and in a better way!

SK
 
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