Gen 8.6 PTFs - check current and apply missing

Products

• Gen
• Gen - Host Encyclopedia
• Gen - Run Time Distributed
• Gen - Workstation Toolset

Issue/Introduction

For any Operating System platform. how to check what Gen 8.6 PTFs are applied/installed and what PTFs are missing i.e. need to be applied/installed?

Resolution

1. MAINFRAME (z/OS):
a. For the z/OS platform, the status of the PTFs applied can be checked by running an SMP/E report of the Gen 8.6 CSI data set to list what SYSMODS have been received. This is an example of JCL that can be used to run an SMP/E report:
*****
//**********************************************************************
//* List SYSMODS for CSI
//**********************************************************************
//*
//LSYSMOD   EXEC PGM=GIMSMP,PARM='DATE=U',REGION=0M
//*** CHANGE TO YOUR CSI DATASET NAME ***
//SMPCSI    DD DISP=SHR,DSN=YOURCSI.R86.CSI
//SMPCNTL   DD   *
SET BOUNDARY(<your Target Zone>).
LIST SYSMODS.
/*
//*
*****
NOTE: <your Target Zone> may default to CAIT0 or CAGENT.
(Also see Broadcom Mainframe Common Maintenance Procedures page Determine What Maintenance Has Been Applied to the Load Module)
That list can then be compared with the full list of z/OS PTFs from the Broadcom Support Portal Gen 8.6 z/OS "Gen Maintenance Grid" page which can be accessed from the Gen 8.6 Solutions & Patches page. On that Gen Maintenance Grid page under "Gen r8.6" use the "PTFs Available" > Since GA link to go to the page showing all published 8.6 PTFs since GA.
NOTE: If Gen 8.6 for z/OS has been installed using the later "Service Update Level 2111" pax file rather than the "Level 0000 (GA)" pax file then only PTFs published after November 1, 2021 need to be applied. More details here: New Features - "Service Update Level 2111 for z/OS Availability".
The required PTFs will have product codes corresponding to your licensed/installed Gen Products (FMIDs).

b. All maintenance can be received into the CSI but the user can only Apply the PTFs for FMIDs installed in the CSI. If the user tries to Apply PTFs for FMIDs not in the CSI an error message will be received indicating that the FMID is not in the CSI, which can be ignored i.e. it does not really matter if attempt to install a PTF for a product code for which no FMID is installed. 
The PTFs are applied by following the steps here: Apply Preventive Maintenance. This additional information may help.
The HOLDDATA should also be considered and there are 2 types:
i. System HOLDDATA is part of the downloaded PTF description and contains documentation/action pertinent to that one PTF e.g. post-deployment steps like running BINDs after applying the PTF. System HOLDDATA is displayed when PTFs are applied per steps 11/12.
ii. External HOLDDATA is separate to the PTF but relevant to it and needs to be read before the PTF is applied. It is downloaded/received separately (steps 7-11) and the download JCL GEN1HOLD uses ftp to access ftp.ca.com (ftp.broadcom.com). If internet connectivity to that ftp site from the Mainframe is not available then the External HOLDDATA needs to be downloaded manually via web browser. The External HOLDDATA is available from the Gen Maintenance Grid page via the "Gen r8.6" Consolidated HOLDDATA hyperlink (although the header on the Gen Maintenance Grid page states "Cumulative Error HOLDDATA" it includes all the External HOLDDATA (ERROR & FIXCAT)).
ERROR is when a PTF is marked PE ie. a problem that needs another PTF (not an APAR) as a fix. Gen has one HOLDDATA ERROR, for FMID CEHB860. It is resolved by PTF LU12165.   
FIXCAT is when some fixes are needed to be able to run at a certain level of software. Gen uses the FIXCAT in 2 ways:
- to identify that a specific Gen PTF introduces support for a specific version of software.
- to show that IBM fixes may be required for that version of the software. 
The HOLDDATA document only shows the part where Gen PTFs are required. The part where IBM fixes are required is identified on the Gen Compatibility (Matrix) page.
Anything with ++RELEASE can be ignored: SMP/E uses control statements to determine what goes in a PTF, how to install etc. These SMP/E statements start with ++, so you get ++HOLD, ++RELEASE, ++PTF, ++VER, ++IF FMID.... The ++RELEASE means Engineering had assigned a FIXCAT before but decided it did not apply/was not necessary and so it was removed. So the HOLD for this PTF was RELEASEd.
Anything with ++HOLD and REASON needs to be reviewed: Each CATEGORY represents an IBM "RequiredService" for which the latest fixes need to be applied. So for any CATEGORY the corresponding RequiredService needs to be checked on the above Gen Compatibility page and the appropriate action taken.

c. DEPENDENCIES - Fix Types PREREQUISITE and IFREQ:
If a PTF has any PREREQUISITE PTFs listed they need to be applied first or in conjunction with any PTF that pre-reqs it.
In general, for a PTF listed as an IFREQ, it means that if the FMID has been installed for that PTF then the PTF needs to be installed.
That information is easier to read in the PTF itself. As an example LU00268 has IFREQ LU00269 & vice versa and LU00268 shows:
*****
++VER (Z038)                                            
  FMID (CEG6860)                                        
  PRE ( LU00153 RO93831 RO97902 RO98369 SO06243 SO08418
        SO11000 SO12663 SO14007 SO14635 SO15689  )      
  SUP ( LT00268 )                                      
  .                                                    
++IF FMID(CEHB860) REQ(LU00269 ) .                       
*****
LU00268 ("Component: Gen Host Encyclopedia") has FMID CEG6860 and provides elements for the Host Encyclopedia which has FMID=CEG6860.
LU00269 ("Component: GEN COMMON MODULES") has FMID CEHB860 and provides elements used by both CEG6860 and CEG7860 (the Gen z/OS IT) so they are owned by a FMID COMMON to both HE and IT i.e. FMID=CEHB860.   This dual PTF scenario will typically be seen for any HE fixes where common modules have been changed.

d. Manual PTF downloads
After selecting a PTF the message "Added to Downloads" will be displayed and when use option "Download Selected" option the "Download Manager" page will open.
The "Download Manager" page has the option "Do you want a complete package for all?" to get a complete solution package with all dependencies (PREREQUISITE and IFREQ) and also set a specific last downloaded date "Date when chained solutions last downloaded". Screenshot example here:



The resulting zip file will contain all direct dependency PREREQUISITE/IFREQ PTFs plus any other indirect PREREQUISITE/IFREQ PTFs down the whole dependency tree.

2. DISTRIBUTED:
NOTE: For each distributed platform, the corresponding Gen 8.6.3 Consolidation PTF is the new baseline for all future PTFs.
a. Windows:
The file "%Gen86%\PTF_Backups\PTF_maintenance.log" will show what PTFs have been installed and again can be compared with the list on the Gen 8.6 Solutions & Patches page.
b. Unix/Linux:
The file $IEFH/maintlog will show what PTFs have been installed and again can be compared with the list on the Gen 8.6 Solutions & Patches page.

Additional Information

NOTES:
1. Gen for distributed OS platforms has the 8.6.3 Consolidation/Roll-Up PTFs but with Gen for z/OS there are no equivalent 8.6.3 PTFs and you just need to apply the latest maintenance/PTFs or apply specific PTFs that are pre-requisites for any Gen 8.6.3 distributed PTFs you have installed.

2. On the Mainframe z/OS platform, CA SMP/E Internet Service Retrieval (uses IBM SMP/E RECEIVE ORDER via direct connection from Mainframe to support site) can be used to download maintenance directly and more easily using an automated approach and also in conjunction with Recommended Service for z/OS (CARS). More details here in the Gen 8.6 and other Broadcom techdocs:
Continuous Delivery
SMP/E Internet Service Retrieval
Configure SMP/E Internet Service Retrieval
*** Please note the new Create Service Order feature which is available from "My Dashboard" > "Quick Links" after login to the Broadcom Support Portal.
More details available from Use the Create Service Order Online Interface.
Also under Mainframe Software Education the Web-Based Product Training section Learning@Broadcom section has a training video "zOSMF Create Service Order 200" (code 06MFO20380).

3. The new Mainframe Essentials software (includes SysView Essentials) is available free of charge for any Broadcom Mainframe Software license entitlement holders. It provides Software Risk Assessment (SRA) features which include analyzing the status of and assessing the risk level of PTFs for SMP/E managed products that were published and applied or not applied.