Read the IBM i 7.3 Memo To Users very carefully!
I've been harping about ciphers lately. Well, if you're using Lan Console
make sure you're current! IBM i 7.3 cracks down on ancient ciphers on old
versions of Lan Console. Disclaimer: Not speaking from experience as
we've converted from Lan Console to HMC as soon as it was available.
LDAP cipher changes. Good thing we've recently upgraded our IBM Security
Identity Manager (ISIM) from the old IBM Tivoli Identity Manager (ITIM).
But we'll keep an eye on it as I've signed up for IBM notifications on
that product also and I'm getting cipher notifications there also. We use
ISIM to keep our Windows, IBM i, etc passwords all in sync.
Hopefully the link in the IBM i 7.3 MTU to "Discontinued support for
certain software and hardware" get's updated soon. I tried 'really hard'
to get some of the stuff on the 'future' page at
http://www-947.ibm.com/systems/support/i/planning/upgrade/future.html
They did drop some really old stuff. What's left that may seem old to
some is legitamately there for "Don't say we didn't tell you..."
IBM i 7.3>IBM i and related software>Installing, upgrading, or deleting
IBM i and related software>Upgrading or replacing IBM i and related
software>Preparing to upgrade or replace IBM i software>Performing initial
upgrade or replacement tasks>Preparing your console for software
installation
Preparing your console for software installation
http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_73/rzahc/rzahcswsdspport.htm?lang=en-us
There's a sentence in there which says:
<snip>
The console mode display also includes the option to allow your 5250
console to be taken over by another console. When this option is turned
on, the system does not stop with a console failure but continues to run
uninterrupted. For more information, see the topic Console takeover and
recovery .
</snip>
Click on the topic "Console takeover and recovery." Do this!!!! Is there
a drawback? Well, when you first sign on to your system console they will
get a prompt to also log on to System Service Tools (SST) and that person
will have to know a SST user id and password. Tough. Do it anyway!!! At
least prior to the upgrade and until the upgrade, all PTF's, etc are
completed. I'd argue that Joe Dataentryclerk shouldn't be using your
system console for day to day tasks anyways. It's not like there's some
twinax console sitting there. Hint: Make your console ergonomically
vicious. Put the keyboard and monitor in the bottom slot of your rack.
The really saavy user will use HMC remote console anyway and never
physically touch it. Or if they think they just have to they'll remember
that they've also hooked it up to their KVM and use that remotely instead.
I've lost the console during two different upgrades.
I've been doing this for a few years on some of my lpars and it has saved
my bacon during long running saves and reclaim storages. I will configure
this on the rest of my lpars. At least it will be consistent for those
who use the console (which is like once a quarter at most).
And, what the heck, you can run your HMC on a virtual machine now so
physical laying on of hands is like "huh?".
Rob Berendt
midrange.com
