IBM z/OS Consolidated Service Test: Get CST Service

Order a current preventive service deliverable that supports RSU. IBM recommends that you use the SMP/E Internet Service Retrieval capability (or Shopz ) to place your service order for the z/OS platform. When you place the order for your preventive service, based on how you order, you can receive service for all the products you have installed. If you order service for products we do not test in the CST environment, you'll still get all the service for those products. In addition, you'll receive RSU ++ASSIGN statements for all the service - both CST tested and non-CST tested service get an associated RSU ++ASSIGN statement for that month. Please note that the RSUs are not cumulative, so you must order each one.

• The preferred method for ordering preventive service is SMP/E Internet Service Retrieval, with options to specify:
  • Critical service
  • Recommended service, which includes Recommended Service Update SOURCEID (RSUyynn) and all PTFs that resolve HIPER problems or PTFs in error (critical service)
  • All service includes all currently available PTFs.
   

  Note: Reference SMP/E for z/OS User's Guide, Preparing to use Internet Service Retrieval

• For a list of PTFs included in the service package, see one of the following:
  • When you order a current preventive service deliverable, the list of PTFs will be included in the order.
  • Find the PTFs included in an RSU package by selecting the RSUyymm.txt file for the RSU you're interested in. For complete information on ++ASSIGN statements and Enhanced HOLDDATA, see the Enhanced HOLDDATA for z/OS .
• For a list of PTFs that we could not include in CST testing because of unresolved PE fixes, see:
  • Excluded service for sourceid RSU2403, which includes all service through the end of December 2023 and PE resolution and HIPER/Security/Integrity/Pervasive PTFs and their associated requisites and supersedes through the end of February 2024, is included in our CST Quarterly report (PDF,122KB).
    
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    Some of these excluded PTFs have an RSU sourceid assigned to them. You must evaluate whether these PTFs should be applied in your environment. If you choose to exclude these PTFs, then your SMP/E APPLY must specify EXCLUDE for each of these PTFs.

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    Some of these excluded PTFs have an RSU sourceid assigned to them. You must evaluate whether these PTFs should be applied in your environment. If you choose to exclude these PTFs, then your SMP/E APPLY must specify EXCLUDE for each of these PTFs.

  • Run an SMP/E APPLY CHECK as follows to identify any requisite service and additional holds, such as HOLDSYS(DOC), that may need to be resolved before APPLY processing:

    				APPLY CHECK XZREQ
    				GROUPEXTEND(NOAPARS,NOUSERMODS)
    				SOURCEID(RSU*)
    				BYPASS(HOLDSYSTEM,HOLDUSER).
    																																																										

    Resolve any holds and RECEIVE any requisite service identified by this APPLY CHECK before proceeding to the next step. Be sure to specify the GROUPEXTEND option to include any requisite PTFs required by the maintenance being installed.
  • Run an SMP/E APPLY as follows:

    				APPLY XZREQ
    				GROUPEXTEND(NOAPARS,NOUSERMODS)
    				SOURCEID(RSU*)
    				BYPASS(HOLDSYSTEM,HOLDUSER).
    																																																										

    Be sure to specify the GROUPEXTEND option to include any requisite PTFs required by the maintenance being installed.
  • Run the following SMP/E REPORT ERRSYSMODS command to identify any missing HIPER or PE fixes:

    				REPORT ERRSYSMODS ZONES(tgtzone1, tgtzone2) NOPUNCH.
    																																																										

    SMP/E checks the target zones, tgtzone1 and tgtzone2, to see if any APPLYed SYSMODs are now being held due to error. This includes PTFs that are PE and product FMIDs that are held due to missing fixes to HIPER APARs. Because NOPUNCH is specified, this command generates only the Exception SYSMOD Report.
  • Analyze any missing HIPER and PE-fixing service identified in the REPORT ERRSYSMODS output to determine the likelihood of your hitting the problem based on your workloads and environment.
  • Install (RECEIVE and APPLY) any missing HIPER and PRP PTFs that you've determined to be critical in your environment. Note that applying additional HIPER and PRP service will result in a service level which has not been completely CST tested.
  • SMP/E ACCEPT CHECK and ACCEPT the PTFs to add them to the distribution libraries.