Re: Managing PTF's...Strategy?

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Welsh <jimwelsh@ix.netcom.com>


>You Guru's
>
>I'd like to start a discussion dealing with the management of PTF's and
>Client Access upgrades.
>
>My own thoughts on this are to keep current and perm apply after a week
>or so if all is well.
>
>IPLSRC A, B....?
>
>I've not been involved in operations that much as I've mainly been
>application programming for
>the last 10 years.
>
>Being in a two person shop now where the manager appears to know less
>than I do about *managing* the 400 I'd like some feedback on some *best
>practices* approaches...
>
>Is it normal to run off IPLSRC B everyday ?
>
>Is it not more effecient to perm apply your ptf's ?
>
>How many have been burned by a perm applied ptf that was bad ?
>What was the solution ?

We have a few rules about PTF handling which have served us well for the
last 8 years.  Here's a quick rundown:

1)  Wait at least 2 weeks after a cume comes out before applying it, making
sure that IBM has not withdrawn it or marked any of its PTF's defective.
2)  Only permanently apply PTF's when IBM specifically says to do it
(release upgrades, etc.).  This takes a little extra DASD space, but
otherwise makes no difference in system performance, and allows PTF's to be
removed if they need to be.  If they're permanently applied, you can either
wait for a fixing PTF to supersede the defective one, or re-install the
operating system (!!!).
3)  Watch for HIPER PTF's, and make sure applicable ones are ordered and
applied.

Don't worry about IPLSRC B, it's normal to run from there.


---
Dave Shaw, General Nutrition, Greenville, SC (just down the road from BMW -
Bubba Makes Wheels :)
The opinions expressed may not be my employer's unless I'm sufficiently
persuasive...


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