RE: V5r4 Upgrade, IPL required between Cume and Group PTF installs

V5r4 Upgrade, IPL required between Cume and Group PTF installs
midrange-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

  3. RE: V5r4 Upgrade, IPL required between Cume and Group PTF
     installs (Paul E. Fenstermacher)

You should ALWAYS install the cume, IPL, and then install the groups
after the INZSYS completes when doing an OS upgrade.  I don't remember
the exact terminology but I'm pretty sure you get a message when trying
to install the groups before the INZSYS completes and it won't let you.
When doing a ptf install only I do the groups first then the cume
followed by one IPL.  Has worked for 20 years!

20 years? I don't recall exactly when groups were started, but I'm pretty sure 
it's a few years less than 20 ago.

I've always wanted the cume done first. That's primarily been because of 
supersedes and pre-reqs/co-reqs that some PTFs within a group might want. Also, 
it's possible that a cume _might_ contain PTFs for the PTF process itself.

Besides, there are multiple group levels available within a single cume level. 
If you apply group level #1 and then cume #1, why attempt to apply group level 
#2 before cume #1? It's nonsensical.

I generally want to apply the cume before loading any group. The cume should 
get the system into the best condition that's reasonably possible in order for 
the group to load and apply cleanly. Any PTFs that are (1) pre-req/co-req for 
the group and (2) in the cume should then already be on the system.

IMO, the cume is more for general system health while a group is for specific 
areas. I usually want to get all 'Actions' completed for a cume if needed, 
before attempting any group. It's just seemed to work out better.

AFAIK, PTFs that are supersedes/pre-req/co-req might all be contained within a 
group package. However, at least early on when groups became common from IBM, 
it seemed that far too many PTFs needed 'Actions' that required multiple 
cycles. "PTF x needs PTF y applied PERM first", or similar. But getting the 
cume fully applied seemed to help minimize those.

Particularly in light of the one-to-many relationship between cumes and groups, 
I'd love to know why groups-before-cumes is important. I'm always open to 
education. I can see sense in loading both and applying them in a unified 
cycle, especially when image catalogs are used (and related PTFs are already 
applied).

Tom Liotta