Applying fix packs in Db2 database environments

Maintain your Db2 database environment running at the latest fix pack level to ensure problem-free operation. To install a fix pack successfully, perform all of the necessary preinstallation and post-installation tasks. For Db2 pureScale® environments, see Applying fix packs in Db2 pureScale environments.

About this task

A Db2 fix pack contains updates and fixes for problems (authorized program analysis reports, or "APARs") found during testing at IBM, as well as fixes for problems that are reported by customers. For a complete list of the fixes that are contained in each fix pack, see Fix List for Db2 Version 11.1 for Linux, UNIX and Windows.

Fix packs are cumulative; the latest fix pack for any given version of Db2 database contains all of the updates from previous fix packs for the same version of Db2 database.

The following types of fix pack images are available:
A single server image.

The single server image contains the new and updated code that is required for Db2 database server products, the IBM® Data Server Client, IBM Data Server Runtime Client, and Db2 Connect Server. The Db2 server fix pack can service any one of the following Db2 server editions: Db2 Enterprise Server Edition, Db2 Workgroup Server Edition, Db2 Express® Server Edition, Db2 Connect Enterprise Edition, Db2 Connect Application Server Edition, Db2 Connect Unlimited Edition for zSeries, and Db2 Connect Unlimited Edition for i5/OS). The Data Server Client fix pack is contained within the one Db2 database server fix pack. You can use the database server fix pack to update Data Server Client.

A single server image can also be used to install any of the Db2 database server products, at a particular fix pack level, with a Db2 try and buy license by default.

The single server fix pack image contains Db2 try-and-buy licenses for all Db2 server products. When you select a new server product to install or a previously installed server product to update, the try-and-buy licenses of that particular product is installed. The try-and-buy licenses do not affect any valid licenses that are already installed in the same Db2 installation path.

A fix pack for each of the other Db2 database products

Use this fix pack only for installed non-server database products . For example, IBM Data Server Runtime Client.

Do not use this type of fix pack if the installed Db2 database products are only Db2 database server products or a Data Server Client. Instead, use the single server image fix pack.

For Windows platforms, if you have more than one Db2 database product (which includes at least one product that is not a Data Server Client or a Db2 database server) installed in a single Db2 copy, you must download and uncompress all of the corresponding product-specific fix packs before you start the fix pack installation process.

A universal fix pack

The universal fix pack services installations where multiple Db2 database products and Db2 add-on products are installed in the same path.

The universal fix pack is not needed if the installed Db2 database products are only Db2 database server products or a Data Server Client. In this case, use the single server image fix pack.

On Linux® or UNIX operating systems, if national languages are installed, you also require a separate national language fix pack. The national language fix pack cannot be installed alone. A universal or product-specific fix pack must be applied at the same time and they must both be at the same fix pack level. For example, if you are applying a universal fix pack to non-English Db2 database products on Linux or UNIX, you must apply both the universal fix pack and the national language fix pack to update the Db2 database products.

Exception: You do not need a separate national language fix pack in Server fix pack 1 or later releases, and for Universal fix pack 4 or later releases.

On IBM Db2 pureScale environments, a fix pack image can be applied offline or online. On Db2 environments other than Db2 pureScale environments, a fix pack image can be only applied offline.


Restrictions

  • A Db2 version 11.1 fix pack can be applied only to version 11.1 general availability (GA) or version 11.1 fix pack copies.
  • All Db2 instances, DAS, and applications that are related to the Db2 copy that is being updated must be stopped before you install a fix pack. However, in a Db2 pureScale environment, the Db2 pureScale instance can remain running for online fix pack updates.
  • In a partitioned database environment, before you install the fix pack, you must stop the database manager on all database partition servers. You must install the fix pack on the instance-owning database partition server and all other database partition servers. All of the computers that are participating in the instance must be updated to the same fix pack level.
  • On Linux or UNIX operating systems:
    • If you have Db2 database products on a network file system (NFS), you must ensure that the following applications are stopped completely before you install the fix pack: all instances, the Db2 administration server (DAS), interprocess communications (IPC), and applications on other machines that use the same NFS mounted installation.
    • If the system commands fuser or lsof are not available, the installFixPack command cannot detect loaded Db2 database files. You must ensure that no Db2 files are loaded and provide an override option to install the fix pack. On UNIX, the fuser command is required to check for loaded files. On Linux, either the fuser command or lsof command is required.

      For details on the override option, see the installFixPack command.

  • On client applications, after a fix pack is applied, you must have bind authority to perform autobind of applications.
  • Db2 fix packs do not update IBM Data Studio.

Procedure

To install a fix pack:

  1. Check fix pack prerequisites.
  2. Perform the tasks in Preparing to install a fix pack.
  3. Choose a fix pack installation method and install the fix pack.
  4. Perform the tasks in After installing a fix pack.
  5. Apply the appropriate Db2 database product license.

    If a previously licensed copy of a Db2 database server product does not exist on the machine, a single server fix pack image can be used to install any of the Db2 database server products. In this case, the Db2 database product that is installed is treated as a try and buy license, and stops working after a 90 day trial period unless you upgrade the try and buy license.

What to do next

Check the log file for any post-installation steps, or error messages and recommended actions.

For non-root installations on Linux or UNIX, root-based features (such as high availability and operating system-based authentication) can be enabled using the db2rfe command. If root-based features were enabled after installing your Db2 database product, you must rerun the db2rfe command each time a fix pack is applied in order to re-enable those features. For details, see the following non-root related links.

In an environment that is not a Db2 pureScale environment, if you have multiple Db2 copies on the same system, those copies can be at different version and fix pack levels. If you want to apply a fix pack to one or more Db2 copies, you must install the fix pack on those Db2 copies one by one.