Description of problem:

When updating RHEL7GA to RHEL7.1 /etc/os-release is not updated but /etc/os-release.rpmnew is created in case the system is subscribed which makes some applications using this file to determine current OS version failing (e.g IBM clearcase).

I understand that marking /etc/os-release as configuration file was introduced with bz#1039878 to ensure PRETTY_NAME in /etc/os-release - reflecting the actual product name according to subscription - is not overwritten.
While I understand that a proper PRETTY_NAME should be set I think that this should not prevent other options being set correctly during update e.g VERSION, CPE_NAME,...

Having a look I found even if /etc/os-release from RHEL7 is replaced by /etc/os-release.rpmnew from RHEL7.1, after rebooting the server
PRETTY_NAME is set correctly according to /var/lib/rhsm/branded_name (by brandbot.* services ). So to my understanding we shall not mark /etc/os-release but /var/lib/rhsm/branded_name as configuration file in case we want have PRETTY_NAME set correctly.

In case system is not subscribed (i.e /var/lib/rhsm/branded_name is not existant on the system)  /etc/os-release gets updated during update to RHEL7.1.


Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
redhat-release-server-7.1-1.el7.x86_64


How reproducible:
Always


Steps to Reproduce:
1. Install RHEL7GA
2. susbscibe system 
3. update to RHEL7.1


Actual results:
- getting /etc/os-release.rpmnew 
- /etc/os-release still showing version prior to update


[root@localhost ~]# diff -u /etc/os-release /etc/os-release.rpmnew 
--- /etc/os-release	2015-07-07 08:34:44.013260877 +0200
+++ /etc/os-release.rpmnew	2015-02-02 12:46:09.000000000 +0100
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 NAME="Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server"
-VERSION="7.0 (Maipo)"
+VERSION="7.1 (Maipo)"
 ID="rhel"
 ID_LIKE="fedora"
-VERSION_ID="7.0"
-PRETTY_NAME="Employee SKU"
+VERSION_ID="7.1"
+PRETTY_NAME="Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 7.1 (Maipo)"
 ANSI_COLOR="0;31"
-CPE_NAME="cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.0:GA:server"
+CPE_NAME="cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.1:GA:server"
 HOME_URL="https://www.redhat.com/"
 BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugzilla.redhat.com/"
 
 REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT="Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7"
-REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT_VERSION=7.0
+REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT_VERSION=7.1
 REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT="Red Hat Enterprise Linux"
-REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT_VERSION=7.0
+REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT_VERSION="7.1"
[root@localhost ~]# 




Expected results:
/etc/os-release reflects correct VERSION,CPE_NAME,.. after updating to RHEL7.1


Additional info:
In case we do not want to change the current behavior it should be well documented