z/VM Preventive Service
To prevent problems, IBM recommends you apply preventive service in the form of the Recommended Service Upgrade (RSU) and review the Preventive Service Planning (PSP) buckets for any additional service you may require. The RSU deliverable provides service for z/VM and the packaged priced features. Service for other SDO licensed products can be found using the ESO (Expanded Service Options).
Recommended Service Upgrade (RSU)
Keeping the current RSU applied to your system is the best way to prevent service issues. You can subscribe to the RSU Planning page to be notified when any next RSU becomes available. Service for z/VM SDO products that are not shipped on the RSU can be found using the ESO (Expanded Service Options).
To identify the latest RSU for a given level of z/VM, check the RSU Content page.
You can order the latest RSU using Shopz or ServiceLink (fee-based service).
In addition to installing the RSU, it is recommended to check for HIPER fixes, PEs, or other required service that may not have been available at the time the RSU was created.
Note:
When ordering an RSU, be aware that you will also receive a link to the
RSU PSP Bucket. This PSP Bucket has fix items, including PE
resolutions, that normally would be included as part of an RSU.
However, some of those items pull significant new function updates (for
example, APAR VM66173 -- Four Terabyte Main Memory Support) that have not
met the z/VM development organization's criteria for RSU content
(although these updates likely have been identified as
candidates for a subsequent RSU).
It is advised that you verify the PSP Bucket sent with your RSU order, and download and install it only if you want the new function APARS applied to your system.
PSP Buckets
For z/VM 7.4, PSP Buckets are no longer used. z/VM 7.4 has moved to linear service. The Change Logs have information on all service including Hiper APARs. Service information that would have been included in the PSP buckets will be included on these IBM z/VM web pages:
For z/VM 7.3 and before, Preventive Service Planning (PSP) buckets for z/VM contain all HIPER PTFs (and other recommended service) for a specific component of z/VM. A PSP bucket has a name (upgrade ID) and contains product information ordered into different 'subsets'. The upgrade ID can be used to order a complete PSP bucket from IBM Support. To limit an order to specific products, subset IDs can be specified. A subset contains different 'sections'. HIPER APARs and a short error description can be found in section 'Service Recommendations' together with the recommended PTF number. All recommended PTFs are listed in the 'PTF Include List' for easy ordering.
The current PSP Bucket information can be obtained from ServiceLink or check with your IBM Support Center. When a PSP bucket is ordered, you receive one or more PTFs from the "Include List" of each ordered subset. PSP buckets are available to identify individual fixes. To order those individual fixes (PTFs), you can use Shopz or ServiceLink (fee-based service). Search Shopz or the Support Portal for the specific PTFs identified in the PSP bucket (search by component).
COR Service(RSU)
Corrective (COR) Service are APARs/PTFs that are available for a specific z/VM release and components. Because COR service can be ordered back to a given RSU level, customers who use the RSU to maintain currency with respect to preventive service will find that COR service requisite strings will be dramatically reduced. This reduction will allow a higher percentage of COR fixes to be shipped electronically.
The tools below will help you order specific APARs/PTFs.
IBM Support Portal:
Search for a specific APAR/PTF or report a new problem. To gain
access to this site use the 'Manage support account' tab at the top
select 'Support access' and click request access.
Shopz APAR/PTF ordering
ServiceLink search available service hosted on IBMLink
Note:
ServiceLink is a fee-based service. This service provides APAR and PTF
ordering, plus service searches and the ability to query all available
service for a specific product or component. Service notifications.
can be setup to be notified of critical service.