Updating pattern types

After you upgrade Cloud Pak System, including applying fixes, always update your pattern types to ensure compatibility with the new product version.

Before you begin

You can update pattern types by using the console or the command-line interface.

Before pattern types can be updated, you must upgrade Cloud Pak System with the latest system updates.

Important: IBM® Foundation Pattern must be updated before any other pattern types can be updated.

The pattern type updates are available in the System updates > Cloud Pak System section of IBM Fix Central. After you download the updated pattern type, import it into Cloud Pak System. To import an updated pattern type, you must be assigned the Workload resources administration role with permission to Manage workload resources (Full permission)

About this task

Pattern types are packaged in a .tgz file, whether the delivery is in release, update or fix pack. For example, a web application pattern type has the following format, where x.x.x.x is the release level:
  • webapp-x.x.x.x.tgz (release)
  • webapp-x.x.x.x.tgz (update on Fix Central)
  • webapp-x.x.x.x.tgz (update through a fix pack on Fix Central)

If you download an update from IBM Fix Central and import the file into Cloud Pak System, you must accept the license agreement, and make the version.release (VR) available. If you download a fix pack that includes updated pattern type and import the file into the system, the new pattern type license is already accepted and the pattern type is automatically available.

The following information shows how various users are impacted by pattern type updates:
  • The user is exposed to pattern types at VR when they create a workload.
  • The administrator can import and delete pattern types at version.release.minor.fixpack (VRMF).
  • The administrator manages plug-ins in pattern types at VR. The administrator does not need to know which VRMF contains the latest of plug-ins that are used in the VR.
  • New workloads are based on the latest plug-ins within that VR; locked applications and existing deployments are not affected. For more information about locked applications, see the topic "Creating virtual applications" in the Related tasks section.
  • For an update, the administrator must accept the license agreement and make the VR available.
  • Users see a new pattern type when they create a workload (pattern type at VR).

After you download the updated pattern type from Fix Central, you can use the console or the command-line interface to import the new pattern type. You can also update the pattern type for deployed virtual system patterns and virtual application patterns.