Maintain Products Using z/OSMF Software Update

Learn how to maintain products using z/OSMF Software Update.
As a systems programmer, you are responsible for keeping your systems current with product maintenance to ensure optimal system usage. To do so, use IBM z/OSMF Software Update. Software Update provides an easy-to-follow wizard that guides systems programmers of all levels through the maintenance process. z/OSMF Software Update offers a modern approach to software maintenance and provides the following features:
Corrective Service
Installs a software update to fix an issue.
Preventive Service
Installs vendor-recommended software updates.
FIXCAT
Installs software updates (Fix Categories) that provide a new function to a system.
We recommend that you use z/OSMF Software Update to apply maintenance to z/OS software.
To determine what maintenance has been applied or to assess the current risk level for unapplied maintenance, use the Software Toolkit Plug-in for z/OSMF. For example, you can display a list of PTFs and APARs that are currently applied and display the status and the risk level of PTFs and APARs.

Prerequisites

Ensure that you meet the following software requirements before you use Software Update:
  • Configure z/OSMF as described in the IBM documentation and address the z/OSMF security requirements for
    ACF2
    ,
    Top Secret
    , or IBM RACF as applicable.
  • Apply all z/OSMF Software Update-related maintenance from IBM.
  • Register your SMP/E environments (CSIs) in z/OSMF Software Management. For more information, see Software Management task in the IBM documentation.
    A migration tool is provided to help you register existing CSIs as new software instances in z/OSMF. For more information about the migration tool, see Migrate SMP/E Environments into z/OSMF.
  • Download and receive maintenance, HOLDDATA, and
    CARS
    maintenance for your products. As a best practice, we recommend that you do so on a daily or weekly basis and that you automate this process using SMP/E Receive Order (see Configure SMP/E Internet Service Retrieval). You can also perform these tasks manually from
    Broadcom Support
    or Use the Create Service Order Online Interface.
    You can only apply maintenance for SYSMODs that are already received in the GLOBAL zone of the CSI.
    The ASSIGN statements for
    CARS
    maintenance are not cumulative. To install the latest
    CARS
    maintenance, download all YEARLY ASSIGN files, and then download the monthly ASSIGN files as needed.

Use Software Update

Log in to your instance of z/OSMF and click the
Software Update
icon on the desktop. If the
Software Update
icon does not appear on the desktop, open the App Center in the bottom-left corner.
You can now maintain software instances, using the z/OSMF Software Update functionality. For more information about how to use Software Update, see Software Update in the IBM documentation.
To use z/OSMF, login to your instance of z/OSMF and complete the following tasks:
  1. Register your SMP/E environment (CSI) from the
    Software Management
    ,
    Software Instances
    task or use the migration tool. Use the wizard to specify the system where your CSI resides, the CSI global zone data set name, and target zones in the CSI.
  2. Select
    Software Update
    to select the software instance (SMP/E environment) you want to update and select the maintenance type (
    Install Corrective, Install Recommended, or Install Functions
    ).
  3. Enter one or more SYSMOD IDs that you want to apply.
    Use the Software Toolkit Plug-in for z/OSMF to review the SYSMOD details and to determine the status of maintenance in your z/OSMF software instances. You can display SYSMODs that are received and/or applied. For more information, see Software Toolkit Plug-in for z/OSMF.
  4. Navigate through the wizard steps to resolve HOLDs, verify updates, and review the pre-install summary (list of SYSMODs to be installed) before you install the updates. Also, review and complete any unresolved HOLD statements.
  5. Navigate through the wizard steps to resolve HOLDs, verify updates, and review the pre-install summary (list of SYSMODs to be installed) before you install the updates. Also, review and complete any unresolved HOLD statements.
    The installation summary appears and the software instance status is marked complete. You can optionally download SMP/E output, post-install HOLD statements, or all HOLD statements.
z/OSMF Software Update verifies and applies the maintenance packages to the selected target zones.
For more information, see Apply Maintenance Using z/OSMF Software Update.