z/VM Electronically Delivered Service (CORrective or RSU) Installation Instructions

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Note: These instructions apply to service for z/VM levels V6R2 through V6R4.
For instructions to use with an older level of z/VM, click here.

After you have downloaded the VM service materials provided with your order to your workstation, you need to upload those files to your z/VM host, de-compact them and then install them. The VM service materials will be referred to as service envelope(s) throughout the rest of this document.

HINTS:

  1. The service files you download should be renamed with file names that are meaningful and represent the content that comprises a given service order, such as RSU1801 or Z14PTFS.
  2. If the IBM Download Director is used, you can configure it to prompt for a target location for downloaded files. On the Download Director pop-up window, click on 'Setup'. Then, in the Setup:Download Director pop-up window, click the box for 'Always ask for download location'.

The remainder of this document consists of the information and sample instructions for:

  1. Uploading service envelope(s) to your z/VM host from your workstation
  2. De-compacting the service envelope(s)
  3. Installing the service envelope(s) on your z/VM host

(1) Upload Service Envelope(s)

(a) Prepare for Upload

  1. The z/VM system minidisk or SFS directory where you choose to store the service envelope(s) must be accessible by the MAINTvrm user ID, or by the installation user ID that is associated with a specific product ID (refer to applicable product Program Directory information for installation user ID specifics). The MAINTvrm 500 disk commonly is used to store uploaded service envelopes.
  2. You will need adequate, available space on the z/VM host to maintain the service envelope(s), both before and after de-compaction.

    Use the information that follows to estimate the number of 3390 cylinders or FB-512 blocks needed to hold the compacted and de-compacted service envelope(s). Note that rounding upward is advised for all division results.

    1. Multiply the number of megabytes of your compacted service envelope(s) by 1024 to determine the number of kilobytes for the envelope(s).
      Note: If the number of megabytes is less than 1MB, then use 1MB for this calculation.
    2. Divide the number of kilobytes by 4 to identify the number of 4K blocks required for storage.
    3. Divide the number of 4K blocks by 180 to determine the number of 3390 cylinders required
      or
      multiply the number of 4K blocks by 8 to determine the number of required FB-512 blocks.
    4. There is no formula to determine the space required to store de-compacted envelope file(s), but multiplying the number of required 3390 cylinders or FB-512 blocks by a factor of 5 should provide an approximate 3390 cylinder or FB-512 block size requirement.

    Example:
    For a service envelope that is approximately 27MB on the workstation, you will need approximately 195 cylinders of 3390 DASD to store both the compacted and de-compacted files.

  3. A CORective service deliverable consists of two envelope files: one that provides documentation and one that supplies the actual service content.

    An RSU deliverable consists of at least two envelope files: one that provides documentation, and one or more that supply the actual RSU content.

    The files in your service order will have names that are based on the service order number. When you upload the files to your VM host, you likely will want to assign them file names that are more meaningful, such as DOC6404 (for the RSU documentation envelope) and RSU6404 (for the actual RSU envelope), or for a product such as DirMaint, DIRMDOC (for the COR documentation envelope) and DIRMCORS (for the actual service envelope).

    Again, the assigned VM file names can be any that are meaningful to you. When names are chosen, consider using file types such as BIN or TERSLINK, to convey files have not yet been de-compacted. However, note that the file type SERVINK must be used for a de-compacted file that is to be processed by the service utilities.

(b) Upload Service Envelope(s)

The compacted service envelope(s) created on the z/VM system must be created as BINARY FIXED 1024 files. (meaning the uploaded file has RECFM FIXED and LRECL 1024 attributes). You MUST make sure you use the appropriate transfer options, with whatever file transfer program you use, to ensure these file attributes are applied or maintained.

For example, if you chose to use the IBM Personal Communications Workstation Program for your file transfers, you need to set up a transfer type that ensures the host file is created as Fixed Recfm, Lrecl 1024 file. To do this, you would select Edit-> Preferences-> Transfer from a PCOMM session, then click on the VM tab and make these selections:

Transfer Type of binary
Record Format of Fixed
Logical Record Length of 1024

Sample Upload using TCP/IP FTP

The sample instructions that follow use FTP from a MS-DOS Window command prompt to transfer a service envelope from a workstation to a z/VM host minidisk (MDISK) or SFS directory. To use FTP, TCP/IP support must be available on both the z/VM host and the workstation host.

Note that it is not possible to FTP to a temporary MDISK on the VM host. Also, the MDISK you FTP to can not be linked in write mode by a user ID on the z/VM host. If it is linked in this manner, it must be detached before the z/VM FTP server can acquire that disk in write mode. For example, if you are logged on the MAINTvrm user ID and you want to use the MAINTvrm 500 disk to store your service files, you first need to detach the 500 disk from that user ID by entering the command:

  DETACH 500

Do this before you begin any file transfers using FTP. After all files have been uploaded, you would enter these commands to re-acquire the 500 disk:

  LINK * 500 500 MR
  ACCESS 500 C

Note: If an ESM (external security manager - e.g. IBM's RACF/VM) is enabled for the VM TCPIP FTP server then the ESM must be configured to allow the logon ID to access the required minidisks, including the minidisks owned by the logon ID. For information on how to correctly configure the FTP server and the ESM, refer to Chapter 6, "Configuring the FTP Server" and Appendix A "Using TCP/IP with an External Security Manager" in the z/VM TCP/IP Planning and Customization.

From an MS-DOS Window command prompt, type the following commands
(substitute values appropriate for your system, when they differ from
what is shown here):
 
  ftp {fully_qualifed_hostname | host ip_addr}
                                  Where "hostname" or "host ip_addr"
                                  is the VM node you want to FTP the
                                  service envelope(s) to.
 
  {type in VM userid that will receive the service envelope}
  {type in VM password}
 
        --- for sfs   ----
 
  cd {SFS_directory_name}         Where SFS_directory_name should be
                                  changed to your SFS directory name
                                  you intend to transfer to.
                                  For example: cd vmsys:userid.prodenv
 
        --- OR, for mdisk ----
 
  cd userid.mdisk_addr            Where userid.mdisk_addr should be
                                  the userid and minidisk address
                                  you intend to transfer to.  It can
                                  not be linked in write mode on the
                                  id you FTP to.  If it is then you
                                  need to detach it.
                                  If this mdisk requires a password,
                                  depending on the security manager
                                  in place on your system, you may
                                  be prompted to supply a password.
 
 lcd {drive}:\{folder}            Where "drive" is the letter, and,
                                  "folder" is name of folder, if
                                  using one, on the workstation where
                                  the service envelope exists.
                                  For example:
                                  lcd C:\vmptfs
 
 binary                           Set the transfer mode to BINARY
 quote site fixrec 1024           This command indicates to the VM host
                                  that files should be created with a
                                  Fixed record format, and with a
                                  record length (LRECL) of 1024.
 
 put {fn}.bin {fn}.bin            Where "fn".bin is the name of the
                                  service envelope file on the
                                  workstation, and "fn".bin is
                                  the file to be created on the VM
                                  host.
                                  For example:
                                    put S0398768.shiptfss um98765.bin
                                    put VPTF3553.bin um98765.bin
 
      NOTE:  Depending on the size of the file and connectivity, the
             put step can take several minutes.  Make sure that the FTP
             transfer completes without errors.
 
 quit                             End the FTP session, after successful
                                  completion of all file transfers.
 

(2) De-Compaction of Service Envelope(s)

After the service envelope(s) exist on a z/VM minidisk or SFS directory, they need to be de-compacted using the DETERSE MODULE. Log on to the user ID you will use to install the service (usually MAINTvrm) and access the the minidisk or SFS directory that contains the service envelope files at filemode C. For example, if you stored the files on the MAINTvrm 500 disk, enter:

   ACCESS 500 C

(a) Locating the DETERSE MODULE

The DETERSE MODULE is shipped as part of the VMSES/E component of z/VM. By default, it resides on the MAINTvrm 5E6 minidisk. This disk should already be linked and accessed. If it is not, then you need to link and access it. For example:

   LINK MAINTvrm 5E6 5E6 RR
   ACCESS 5E6 B

(b) Using the DETERSE MODULE

The command syntax for DETERSE is:

   DETERSE ifn ift ifm ofn SERVLINK ofm (option
where option can be REPLACE. You only need to use the REPLACE option if you are going to keep the original filename and filetype of the service envelope. Otherwise no option is needed. In order for you to install the service envelope the file type must be SERVLINK. An example of using the DETERSE command is:
 
   DETERSE UM98765 BIN C UM98765 SERVLINK C

(c) Check the Service Envelope

You can verify that all the steps have completed successfully by creating a MAP file of your SERVLINK files. To create the MAP, access the minidisk or SFS directory where you have stored the SERVLINK files as filemode C and then use the command VMFPLCD to generate a MAP file:

   VMFPLCD SCAN * * ENV= fn SERVLINK C (DISK DATE EOD
 
where fn is the filename of your service envelope.
If you receive an error from VMFPLCD there is something wrong with the file and you should retrieve it again.

If the command completes successfully, it will create a file on your A disk named DISK MAP. If you will be checking several files, you may want to rename the DISK MAP file that was created to match the source of the MAP. For example, if you created a MAP for the file RSU6404 SERVLINK, you could rename the DISK MAP file to RSU6404 MAP.

The contents of the MAP file will be a list of files that are contained in the SERVLINK. Here is an example of the contents of a MAP for a corrective service SERVLINK:

   Scanning ...                 Format LRECL   Records    Date     Time
   COR      8403     U1         F         76         6  04/03/18 16:12:12
   COR      DOC      U1         F         80         8  04/03/18 16:12:12
   End-Of-Group OR End-Of-Disk
   5684042J 0100051  U1         F         80         3  04/03/18 16:12:12
   SES      MEMO     U1         F         80         2  04/03/18 16:12:12
   End-Of-Group OR End-Of-Disk
   5684042J 0100051  U1         F         80         3  04/03/18 16:12:12
   5684042J $COR8403 U1         F         76         5  04/03/18 16:12:12
   End-Of-Group OR End-Of-Disk
   5684042J $APCALL  U1         F         44         3  04/03/18 16:12:12
   5684042J $APC8403 U1         F         44         3  04/03/18 16:12:12
   5684042J $EXCALL  U1         F         44         1  04/03/18 16:12:12
   5684042J $EXC8403 U1         F         44         1  04/03/18 16:12:12
   End-Of-Group OR End-Of-Disk
   UI49994  $PTFPART U1         F         80        52  08/31/17 14:23:30
   End-Of-Group OR End-Of-Disk
   ICKSADSF CIM49994 U1         F         80     15240  08/31/17 14:23:28
   End-Of-Group OR End-Of-Disk
   End-Of-Group OR End-Of-Disk
After you have successfully created a MAP file you need to reset your SERVLINK file by entering the following command:
   VMFPLCD RST ENV= fn SERVLINK C
 
where fn is the filename of your service envelope.
You are now ready to install your service envelopes.

(3) Installation of Service Envelope(s) on z/VM

The service you ordered will either be in VMSES/E format or NON-VMSES/E format. You need to follow the appropriate instructions below based on which service you received. Files shipped with extensions of SHIPTFSS, SHIPDOCS, SHIPRSUn (where n is a number) or SHIPDOC are VMSES/E format. Files shipped with extensions of SHIPTFSN or SHIPDOCN are NON-VMSES/E.

(a) Service Envelopes in VMSES/E format

For service envelope files in VMSES/E format (files shipped with extensions of SHIPTFSS, or SHIPDOCS or SHIPRSUn or SHIPDOC):

  • Go to Chapter 2 'Installing preventive or corrective service' in the z/VM: Service Guide to install service on the VM components.
  • For IBM Licensed Products for VM (like DB2), refer to their Program Directory for the product service instructions. If the Program Directory service instructions do not mention installing from an envelope then you need to add the 'ENV fn_servlink' option to the VMFREC command (for COR service) or the VMFINS command (for RSU service). For example:
    VMFREC PPF 5999123A PRODA (ENV UM98765
    

IMPORTANT INSTALLATION NOTES

  1. The minidisk or SFS directory where you stored the service envelope files needs to be accessed as filemode C.
  2. The documentation envelope file for an RSU is a human-readable file once you DETERSE it. The documentation envelope file for COR service is a real envelope file that can (and should) be processed by the SERVICE command.

(b) Service Envelopes in NON-VMSES/E format

For service envelope files in NON-VMSES/E format (shipped with extensions of SHIPTFSN or SHIPDOCN):

You need to extract the files from the documentation service envelope first (shipped with extension of SHIPDOCN). To do that you need to enter the commands:

   VMFPLCD RST ENV= envfilename SERVLINK fm
   VMFPLCD LOAD * * A ENV= envfilename SERVLINK fm (EOD
A file with the name of SERVICE DOCUMENT should have been loaded to your A disk. You need to follow the directions in that document in order to receive and install the NON-VMSES/E service envelope file (shipped with extension of SHIPTFN).

Note: For EREP PTF application refer to the EREP Program Directory (GI10-8140), Section 3.1 Corrective Serviced (PTF).

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Last Updated: 10/03/2018