RE: operating system upgrade -- MIDRANGE-L

Wes,

Others have pointed out the potential maintenance pitfalls.

That said, I, too, prefer just going to a new box with the latest OS without fooling with the old box when that situation arises. That is, if we were planning to go to a new box in, say, June, and we were still on V5R3, I'd probably take my chances (though still downloading the last Cume's, Groups, etc. while I could).

However, not meaning to sound like gloom-and-doom, who knows what the economy is going to do? Like everyone else, I hope it picks up, but I think "hope" is an inadequate planning criteria. If I were in a similar position as you describe, I'd go ahead and, at least, make the V5R4 upgrade. 'Cause, like Larry, I'm a paranoid working on a worst case basis when planning.

Jerry C. Adams
IBM System i Programmer/Analyst
B&W Wholesale
office: 615-995-7024
email: jerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Wes Reinhold
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:45 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: operating system upgrade

We have software support. Due to the ERP and other packages we have, I
am reluctant to upgrade when every thing is running fine now. IBM
informs me that they will support in a limited fashion. We have not had
any software issues in the last 4 years. My goal (like everyone else, I
suppose) is to make it through the next 12 months or whenever, till we
get a new machine.

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Larry Bolhuis
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 11:26 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Cc: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion;
midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: operating system upgrade

While not likely *IF* you run into an issue requiring a PTF you are
sunk.
Will that happen? Maybe. But if you have software maintenance on the
machine you should simply upgrade to V5R4 ate least and V6R1 if you can,

and stay supported. If you don't have software maintenance you can't
PTFs
anyway so you're already flying without a net so going from "supported"
to
"unsupported" happened some time ago.

- Larry
Larry Bolhuis IBM Certified Advanced Technical Expert:
Vice President System i Solutions
Arbor Solutions, Inc. IBM Certified Systems Expert:
1345 Monroe NW Suite 259 System i Technical Design and Implementation
V6R1
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
(616) 451-2500
(616) 451-2571 - Fax
(616) 260-4746 - Cell
If you can read this, thank a teacher....and since it's in English,
thank a soldier.

"Wes Reinhold" <WesR@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent by: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
02/05/2009 11:20 AM
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Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

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Subject
operating system upgrade

We currently have an I520 at V5R3. We were planning to upgrade to a new
machine this spring, but due to the current economy we have decided to
wait a year. I understand V5R3 is being sunsetted in the near future.
Is there any potential danger in running the way we are for another 12
months, without upgrading the operating system? I need to put my
manager's mind at ease (hopefully) on this issue.