The current iso is 23.4.  I setup a new server and entered my OES registration code during setup.  Software repositories were updated and when the installation was complete, the server was at 24.1.

You do not run updates afterwards. Never. You *always* want to register your server *during* the upgrade, and allow it to use the updated repos right away. And then, an updated ISO becomes mostly obsolete.

That is true for updates/upgrades, but for the installation of a new server this can be cumbersome, if the server resides in a protected network or in a network without internet access. In a running server I have several tools to authenticate the server in the network and the firewall, but during the installation, the tools are quite limited.

Then you want a SMT server in the same protected network domain. Problem solved.

You mean I should never patch an OES? I can't belive this ;-)

But today it seems a good idea to set up a fresh host at first to hold the Master-Rep.; SLP-DA and the CA; running iManager and UMC ... and also offers the SMT services.

After this you can install further OES. I preferred to install them as cluster nodes.

Hi All, 

I would like share an update, OpenText has released today an Open Enterprise Server 23.4 ISO Update addressing some of the prominent install/upgrade issues. The new ISO is nowavailable in the SLD.
Here is the official link https://www.microfocus.com/documentation/open-enterprise-server/23.4/oes_readme/t4oj67lshizv.html 

Thanks, Ramesh