Operating system updates

The operating system package is divided into filesets, where each fileset contains a group of logically related customer deliverable files. Each fileset can be individually installed and updated.

Revisions to filesets are tracked using the version, release, maintenance, and fix (VRMF) levels. By convention, each time an AIX® fileset update is applied, the fix level is adjusted. Each time an AIX maintenance package or technology level is applied, the modification level is adjusted, and the fix level is reset to zero. The initial installation of an AIX version, for example, AIX 6.1, is called a base installation. The operating system provides updates to its features and functionality, which might be packaged as a maintenance package, a technology level, a program temporary fix (PTF), or a service pack (a group of PTFs).

Maintenance Packages and Technology Levels

Maintenance packages and technology levels provide new functionality that is intended to upgrade the release. The maintenance part of the VRMF is updated in a maintenance package. For example, the first maintenance package for AIX 6.1 is 6.1.1.0; the second is 6.1.2.0, and so on. To list the maintenance package, use the oslevel -r command.

To determine the maintenance package or technology level installed on a particular system, type:

oslevel

To determine which filesets need an update for the system to reach a specific maintenance package or technology level (in this example, 6.1.1.0), use the following command:

oslevel -l 6.1.1.0

To determine if a recommended maintenance package or technology level is installed (in this example, 6100-02), use the following command:

oslevel -r 6100-02

To determine which filesets need an update for the system to reach the 6100-02 maintenance package or technology level, use the following command:

oslevel -rl 6100-02

To determine the maintenance package or technology level of a particular fileset (in this example, bos.mp), use the following command:

lslpp -L bos.mp

PTFs

Between releases, you might receive PTFs to correct or prevent a particular problem. A particular installation might need some, all, or even none of the available PTFs.

Recommended Maintenance Packages

A recommended maintenance package is a set of PTFs between technology levels that have been extensively tested together and are recommended for preventive maintenance.

Interim Fixes

An interim fix is similar to a PTF, but it is usually offered when a PTF is not available. Interim fixes are also released when the PTF would upgrade a system to the next maintenance level and users might want their systems to remain at the current level.

To determine the version and release level, maintenance package, technology level, and service pack level, as well as which filesets need to be updated to reach a particular level, see the oslevel and the lslpp commands .