Rob's advice is correct and I'll add one other comment. In the past when I loaded PTF's *DELAYED for MQ with MQ still active it has caused problems resulting in me having to end MQ in the middle of the day. That's been a couple years so IBM may have gotten beaten up enough to fix that issue.
Paul Fenstermacher | Sys/NW Admin,Sr | Corporate Systems - POWER Systems Administration | Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.(r)
663 West Highway 60 | Monett, MO 65708 | Ph. 417.235.6652 | x177389 | pfenstermacher@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, April 19, 2013 9:22 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Applying PTFs *PERM prior to new Cumulative/Groups
Not a bad habit to get into. Many of the technology refreshes in 7.1 require that all MF* ptf's be permanently applied before installing. I think IBM is trying to address this by doing many of these steps for you.
You may just notice a longer IPL time while IBM does this for you under the covers.
Two caveats. One, if you have any test ptf's you do not want to permanently apply those. My IPL's are scheduled for once a quarter. About a week before then I have a calendar entry of things to do over and above my normal duties. I record test ptf's there.
The second caveat is if you have LPPs that do weird stuff (details to
follow) you don't want to use LICPGM(*ALL) but instead want to do them one-by-one. One LPP is Domino. Domino has two types of ptfs: fix packs and hot fixes. DSPPTF 5733L85 PTF ID
L604171
FP68533
FP68532
FP68531
Before I would install fix pack FP68534 I have to remove hot fix L604171 permanently. If I ran APYPTF LICPGM(*ALL)... then I'm hosed. It gets really ugly, really fast.
If you never call IBM support, and never apply a ptf outside of a cume or group, you won't have any test ptf's. There's no way to DSPPTF SELECT(*TEST). Why don't you want to permanently apply a test ptf? Well, IBM may reissue it. For example, I open pmr 12345. It's unlike anything IBM's seen. They open a new APAR. Development generates a fix and does some rudimentary testing on it. However, my shop may be different so they send it out to me as a test ptf. Let's say SI45678. I apply it temporarily. Doesn't fix my issue. IBM modifies the offending object and again sends me the same test PTF SI45678. I remove the existing one, load and apply the new one. On the rare occasions that I oopsed and permanently applied the old one IBM runs me through the wringer. They suggest that I slip install the OS or some such thing, load all PTF's and then retry the new test ptf. I sacrifice two goats, a small flock of chickens and send them the fatted calf as a peace offering and then, maybe, they'll generate a new test ptf, very begrudgingly. In this case it will be a new ptf number, unlike the case if I hadn't permanently applied the first test ptf.
Rob Berendt
--
IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1 Group Dekko Dept 1600 Mail to: 2505 Dekko Drive
Garrett, IN 46738
Ship to: Dock 108
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http://www.dekko.com
From: Robert Clay <zreclay@xxxxxxxxx>
To: midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx,
Date: 04/19/2013 09:44 AM
Subject: Applying PTFs *PERM prior to new Cumulative/Groups
Sent by: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
We are two Cumulative PTF levels behind and several levels behind on
most Group PTFs.
I'm ready to install the latest and greatest today (*Delayed) for them
to apply this weekend after the backup/IPL.
I seemed to recall reading that the recommendation was to install all
existing PTFs *PERM prior to loading a new Cumulative/Group which I have
only ever done just prior to an OS upgrade. I went searching and found:
http://archive.midrange.com/midrange-l/201212/msg01172.html
...which states, in part,
"... Perm apply every PTF that is currently out there (So you can boot
off of A if needed, if a bad MF PTF is applied). ..."
What isn't said is *HOW* to install them permanently.
I would like to use this command :
APYPTF LICPGM(*ALL) APY(*PERM) DELAYED(*NO)
...because I have no window to IPL to apply them DELAYED(*YES) prior to
installing the new PTFs from the Cumulative/Groups.
Can anyone tell me if this is a good/bad idea?
If it is acceptable, is there any impact on system performance while the
existing PTFs are being applied *PERM?
Thanks for any advice.
Robert
midrange.com
