rhc is a simple, one-step front-end client for remote host configured services. It is built to be an alternative client to subscription-manager, insights-client, and any other client utility that enables connecting a system to Red Hat services.

It currently performs 3 steps when it connects a system:

1. Registers the system with Red Hat Subscription Management. If the system is already registered, this step is a noop and it moves to the next step.
2. Registers the system with Red Hat Lightspeed (formerly branded Insights). If the system is already registered, this step is a noop and it moves to the next step.
3. Activate the yggdrasil (or branded rhcd) service.

Likewise, when rhc is disconnecting a system, it performs the steps in descending order.

1. Deactivates the yggdrasil (or branded rhcd) service.
2. Unregisters the system from Red Hat Lightspeed (formerly branded Insights).
3. Unregisters the system from Red Hat Subscription Management.

rhc (the front-end client) is not the same thing as yggdrasil. rhc began as a program within the yggdrasil project, but has since been forked out. rhc still has a soft dependency on yggdrasil; yggdrasil provides rhcd (or yggd), the service that rhc activates as the last step in its connection process.

Non-goals

• rhc will never be a 100% compatible drop-in replacement for subscription-manager, insights-client, or any other Red Hat connected services command-line utility.
• Complexity; rhc is deliberately designed to be simple, and as "hands-off" as possible.