No ifs, ands or buts. There have been numerous "Integrity" ptfs for V5R4.
IBM will NOT tell you what these PTFs fixed because they do not want to
publish how something may be hacked for those who have not put on these
PTFs. Search the following for V5R4 and "Integrity":
http://www-912.ibm.com/a_dir/as4ptf.nsf/$$search?openform
Rather long list, isn't it?
Let me guess, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? My dad used that
same argument to rarely change his engine oil.
Link loader may be a valid concern. After having gone over a decade it
seems like I did blow one a few years back.
Start out with DSPPTF 57##999 (been a long time since I ran V5). Are you
running V5R4M0 or V5R4M5? If you are running M0 this is a good time to
get up to M5. M5 will give you a few things.
- Some newer hardware supports M5 but not M0. Thus giving you an easier
migration path.
- Ordering the latest 'respin' or 'resave' of M5 will reduce the number of
PTF's you'll need to apply, thus reducing your link loader concerns.
http://www-947.ibm.com/systems/support/i/planning/resave/v5r4.html
but even that is 4 years old. Well, since it's four years old, it may not
reduce the number of PTFs to apply (unless your ptf maintenance is REALLY
out of date).
Read the following on how to upgrade to M5 from M0:
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r4/topic/rzahc/upgradesameversion.htm
"IF" you still have a maintenance contract, you may as well get your last
hurrah on maintenance before IBM drops maintenance on V5R4 in September.
Order the latest cume on one order.
Order all the groups available for V5R4 on another order.
http://www-912.ibm.com/s_dir/sline003.NSF/GroupPTFs?OpenView&view=GroupPTFs
Order all recommended PTF's for V5R4 on yet another order.
http://www-912.ibm.com/s_dir/slkbase.nsf/recommendedfixes
load/apply/ipl them one at a time.
I wouldn't normally do it this way as it takes a lot longer, but this may
help put your link loader fears to rest. Some judicious use of CHGIPLA
STRRSTD(*YES) or whatever that last parameter is, may help.
Rob Berendt
midrange.com
