Hello Robert,

Are you excluding any packages within your yum.conf?  Sometimes that can create some confusion.   Here is an example with openssh on a test box:

####
# yum check-update
Loaded plugins: downloadonly
fedora/17/x86_64/metalink                                          |  19 kB     00:00     
updates/17/x86_64/metalink                                         |  14 kB     00:00     

emacs-filesystem.x86_64                      1:24.1-7.fc17                         updates
git.x86_64                                   1.7.11.7-2.fc17                       updates
glances.noarch                               1.5.1-1.fc17                          updates
gnupg2.x86_64                                2.0.19-5.fc17                         updates
grub2.x86_64                                 1:2.0-0.39.fc17                       updates
grub2-tools.x86_64                           1:2.0-0.39.fc17                       updates
kernel.x86_64                                3.6.9-2.fc17                          updates
libblkid.x86_64                              2.21.2-3.fc17                         updates
libcap-ng.x86_64                             0.7.3-1.fc17                          updates
libmount.x86_64                              2.21.2-3.fc17                         updates
libuuid.x86_64                               2.21.2-3.fc17                         updates
openssh-clients.x86_64                       5.9p1-28.fc17                         updates
openssh-server.x86_64                        5.9p1-28.fc17                         updates
perl-Git.noarch                              1.7.11.7-2.fc17                       updates
util-linux.x86_64                            2.21.2-3.fc17                         updates

# echo "exclude=openssh" >> /etc/yum.conf

# yum check-update
Loaded plugins: downloadonly
fedora/17/x86_64/metalink                                          |  19 kB     00:00     
updates/17/x86_64/metalink                                         |  14 kB     00:00     

emacs-filesystem.x86_64                      1:24.1-7.fc17                         updates
git.x86_64                                   1.7.11.7-2.fc17                       updates
glances.noarch                               1.5.1-1.fc17                          updates
gnupg2.x86_64                                2.0.19-5.fc17                         updates
grub2.x86_64                                 1:2.0-0.39.fc17                       updates
grub2-tools.x86_64                           1:2.0-0.39.fc17                       updates
kernel.x86_64                                3.6.9-2.fc17                          updates
libblkid.x86_64                              2.21.2-3.fc17                         updates
libcap-ng.x86_64                             0.7.3-1.fc17                          updates
libmount.x86_64                              2.21.2-3.fc17                         updates
libuuid.x86_64                               2.21.2-3.fc17                         updates
openssh-clients.x86_64                       5.9p1-28.fc17                         updates
openssh-server.x86_64                        5.9p1-28.fc17                         updates
perl-Git.noarch                              1.7.11.7-2.fc17                       updates
util-linux.x86_64                            2.21.2-3.fc17                         updates


# yum update openssh
Loaded plugins: downloadonly
No Packages marked for Update

# yum upgrade openssh --disableexcludes=all
Loaded plugins: downloadonly
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package openssh.x86_64 0:5.9p1-27.fc17 will be updated
--> Processing Dependency: openssh = 5.9p1-27.fc17 for package: openssh-clients-5.9p1-27.fc17.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: openssh = 5.9p1-27.fc17 for package: openssh-server-5.9p1-27.fc17.x86_64
---> Package openssh.x86_64 0:5.9p1-28.fc17 will be an update
--> Running transaction check
---> Package openssh-clients.x86_64 0:5.9p1-27.fc17 will be updated
---> Package openssh-clients.x86_64 0:5.9p1-28.fc17 will be an update
---> Package openssh-server.x86_64 0:5.9p1-27.fc17 will be updated
---> Package openssh-server.x86_64 0:5.9p1-28.fc17 will be an update
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

==========================================================================================
 Package                  Arch            Version                  Repository        Size
==========================================================================================
Updating:
 openssh                  x86_64          5.9p1-28.fc17            updates          271 k
Updating for dependencies:
 openssh-clients          x86_64          5.9p1-28.fc17            updates          399 k
 openssh-server           x86_64          5.9p1-28.fc17            updates          319 k

Transaction Summary
==========================================================================================
Upgrade  1 Package (+2 Dependent packages)

Total download size: 989 k
Is this ok [y/N]: 
####


The output of 'yum search' will show excluded items, but you can not install them or upgrade them unless '--disableexcludes=' is used.   This had lead to frustration many times for me.

-Ben