IBM i, FSP, and HMC release levels and PTFs (September 2022)

Below is a table of the major group PTFs for the last few releases. This is what we are installing for our customers on iTech Solutions Quarterly Maintenance program.

7.5
7.4
7.3
7.2
7.1
6.1
V5R4

Cumul Pack
22104
22125
22132
21084
17192
15063
12094

Tech. Refresh

6
12
9
11

Grp Hipers
12
88
166
220
284
210
204

DB Group
2
22
30
27
43
33
33

DB2 Mirror
2
20




Java Group
2
15
26
36
48
41
34

Print Group



3
13
31
49

Backup/Recov.
3
33
59
78
75
61
57

Blade/IXA/IXS



1
16
30
15

HTTP
3
21
40
51
53
46
36

TCP/IP

7
11
12
11
17
22

Security
7
38
78
111
110
60
 33

High Availability
1
10
18
21
18
 5

Hardware

2
18
35
44
 17

Open Source


6
6
6

The easiest way to check your levels is to issue the command WRKPTFGRP. They should all have a status of installed, and you should be up to the latest for all the above, based upon your release. Now there are more groups than the ones listed above, but these are the general ones that most people require. We can help you know which group PTFs you should be installing on your machine based upon your licensed programs. Here is a nice tidbit. The Cumulative PTF package number is broken down as YDDD, where Y is the year and DDD is the day it was released. Therefore, if we look at the cumulative package for 7.3, the ID is 21245. We can determine that it was created on the 245th day of 2021, which is September 2, 2021. Look at your machine and this will give you a quick indication of just how far out of date in PTFs you may be.

HMCs

Fixes are listed below in the order in which they should be installed for each software version. If you are upgrading to a new release, install the base version from recovery media or network image and then apply updates in the order listed. If you already have fixes applied and your current fix level is not in this list, just start with the next higher-numbered fix pack in the list. Be sure to read the release …

The post IBM i, FSP, and HMC release levels and PTFs (September 2022) first appeared on iTech Solutions Group.

September 2022 Newsletter

This newsletter includes:

Obtaining Your Last IPL Details
Five Costly Mistakes that IBM i Companies Make
System Cleanup: My QUSRBRM/QA1ALI2 File is Large
iTech iTip Videos
Sips & Tricks: Coffee with iTech
iBasics: IBM i Education for the Beginner System Administrator
Watch Replay: Tactical Security Day
Save the Date: iAdmin Fall 2022
iPOWER Hour Episode 40: Security Vulnerabilities on Your IBM i(NEW!)
Upcoming Events
IBM i, FSP, and HMC release levels and PTFs (September 2022)

I guess it was just a matter of time as we all knew it was coming, eventually.  IBM i 7.3 is going out of support next year, Sept 30, 2023.  I guess the handwriting was on the wall when IBM came out with 7.5 in the spring, as they don’t normally support 3 releases of the operating system at once.  Quite honestly, I was a little surprised they kept the support that long, as I had expected once 7.5 was announced that they would drop the support for 7.3.

If you have Software Maintenance (also known as SWMA) then you have the ability to get support for problems, PTFs when they are delivered, and new releases.  Of course, you need to make sure that your machine will support 7.4 or 7.5 if you are thinking of upgrading.  Please refer to the chart below.

People ask me all the time, which release they should be on, and my answer is the exact same for the last 15 years.  “The highest release that your hardware and applications will support”.  To me being on a supported release is the most important concern, so if you are on 7.3, 7,4, or 7.5 right now, that is OK as they are all currently supported.  If you are running on a Power8, then getting to 7.4 is as good as you can do, that is what your goal should be.  I do think another goal there should be upgrading from that Power8 to a Power10 as well, as you will get much more for your money.  If you are on running a Power9 or Power10, get to 7.5 if possible, if not get to 7.4.  But by all means, get off of 7.3 before next Sept.  If you are on IBM i 7.2, then I would try to get to 7.4 not if your hardware allowed you (again, see the chart).  I always want to be on supported hardware and supported …

The post September 2022 Newsletter first appeared on iTech Solutions Group.

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