Re: PTF apply strategy - 2=Apply immediate, set delayed PTFs

Hello Paul,

Am 22.01.2020 um 16:51 schrieb Steinmetz, Paul via MIDRANGE-L <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

Rethinking PTF apply strategy.
Currently - 1=Set all PTFs delayed.

I'm thinking of switching back to 2=Apply immediate, set delayed PTFs.
Majority of PTFs can be applied immediately.
Especially for PCI and vulnerability PTFs.
These could be applied without an IPL and little or no impact on users.

Years, or decades ago, did 2=Apply immediate, set delayed PTFs.
Had one issue.
IBM support stated that 2=Apply immediate was intended for individual, emergency PTFs only.
Not intended for groups.

Anyone in the group current using 2=Apply immediate, set delayed PTFs
Any thoughts from the group.

I was using Option 2 for group PTFs with V4R5, V5R2, and V7R2 and I always ran in some trouble regarding dependent PTFs not found for applying some other PTF in the whole package. Someone mentioned, applying PTFs immediately should be done in "single user mode" (endsbs *all), because files could be locked which were needed to be touched by the PTF install. Maybe that was an issue, also.

Last time I set all PTFs to delayed (and apply permanent, mostly to free up disk space) and re-IPL'd. Next "normal" IPL took rather long, obviously, but afterwards, I could rerun APYPTF, could mark more PTFs for applying, re-IPL… And than there's more stuff in DST for applying LIC PTFs, or making them permanent (I can't remember).

Maybe I'm too dumb to do that properly but applying whole packages never went trough on the first run, no matter if 1 or 2 used.

:wq! PoC

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