Choosing an installation package for installing z/OS

If you are a new customer (never had z/OS®), use one of the following installation packages to install z/OS V2R1:

Of the entitled packages (ServerPac and CBPDO): Use ServerPac using the full system replacement installation path. You will also need the Customized Offerings Driver (5751-COD) as a driving system. (The Customized Offerings Driver is also entitled.)
Of the packages available for an additional fee: Use SystemPac in full volume dump format or one of the other fee offerings.

If you are migrating to z/OS V2R1 from z/OS V1R11 or earlier, you are migrating from a release that is no longer supported for migration. Contact your IBM® representative to find out what alternatives are available.

If you are migrating to z/OS V2R1 from z/OS V1R12 or V1R13, use any of the installation packages to install z/OS V2R1:

Of the entitled packages (ServerPac and CBPDO):
- Use ServerPac if most of the elements and features already installed on your system are not equivalent to the z/OS V2R1 level. Of your two choices within ServerPac, software upgrade is preferable to full system replacement in the following cases:
  - You are creating a new system image that will share operational data sets (like the master catalog and parmlib) with existing systems.
  - Your new environment will be similar to your old one.
  - Your data set layouts will be the same or similar. (IBM recommendations are described in Placing data sets on specific volumes).
  - You prefer to migrate your operational data sets before (not after) IPLing the new system for the first time.
- Use CBPDO only if most of the elements and features already installed on your system are equivalent to the z/OS V2R1 level, your enterprise has good to excellent product installation skills, and you are within six months of service currency. Otherwise, using ServerPac will probably take significantly less time and effort.
Note: Most customers choose ServerPac rather than CBPDO.
Of the packages available for an additional fee (SystemPac full volume dump, SystemPac dump-by-data-set, and the more-tailored services):
- Use SystemPac full volume dump if you can. The restore of the system is performed by way of volume restore. You get an IPLable system within a day. There is no need to use installation dialogs for restoring and customizing. All customizing is performed up front during local order entry, which an IBM technical representative will guide you through.
- Use SystemPac dump-by-data-set if you want to do a software upgrade instead of a full system replacement. The software upgrade installation path is preferable to a full system replacement for the same reasons as described in a ServerPac installation.
- Choose other fee offerings (for example, Select in the United Kingdom, Software Management in Germany, Express® Plus Offering in France) if you want to have more than a system replacement done. Some of the additional activities you might want done for you are system automation; production cutover; database and related applications migration; backup and recovery; data management; disaster recovery; parmlib, proclib, and VTAMLST conversion; and on-site support.

Note: To find out the driving system software and hardware requirements necessary to install a ServerPac, CBPDO, or SystemPac order, see Preparing the driving system.