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)

RSU Introduction and Criteria

  1. The RSU is a snapshot in time of frequently ordered service verified to IPL. It includes pre-req and co-req service.
  2. Although it is recommended, it does not include ALL service. z/VM carefully reviews all closed PMRs/APARs that meet the criteria.
      Criteria include but are not limited to:
    • Frequently ordered service.
    • Requisite drag is considered to keep the size and impact reduced.
  3. To see which APARs and PTFs are on a specific RSU for each component, check out the RSU Content page.
  4. Each z/VM release comes with the first RSU available for that release. However, note that the RSU delivered with the product often is not that which contains the latest service content. Thus, it's important to follow the instructions in z/VM Installation Guide that include steps for updating to the latest available 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

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.

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, IBM Support Portal (access required) or ServiceLink (fee-based service). Search Shopz or the Support Portal for the specific PTFs identified in the PSP bucket (search by component). Below are PSP bucket example searches on the Support Portal.

To see the PSP buckets available for z/VM 7.3, search on UPGRADE ZVM730, Example PSP bucket from that search: Upgrade ZVM730 PSP Bucket

To see the PSP buckets available for z/VM 7.2, search on UPGRADE ZVM720, Example PSP bucket from that search: Upgrade ZVM720, Subset CP PSP Bucket

To see the PSP buckets available for z/VM 7.1, search on UPGRADE ZVM710, Example PSP bucket from that search: Upgrade ZVM710, Subset 1902RSU PSP Bucket

Note: Currently, you can order specific PSP bucket service from ServiceLink (fee-based service), IBM Shopz cannot.

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.