Updating the target libraries: The APPLY process

After you prepare your target and distribution libraries and receive all the necessary PTFs and HOLDDATA, update the target libraries. Though most PTFs can be installed directly into the target libraries, some require special processing, such as a fix that must be concurrently installed on all processors in a network.

These PTFs contain a ++HOLD statement that automatically places them into HOLD for SYSTEM action status; that is, SMP/E does not allow them to be installed unless you take some direct action, such as specifying BYPASS(HOLDSYS) on the APPLY command. These PTFs should not be processed immediately; you should attempt to install all PTFs not requiring such actions and then return to process these. For additional information about these PTFs, see Installing PTFs that need special processing.

When installing preventive service, you are concerned with two groups of PTFs:

All PTFs from the CBPDO, ESO, or requested service package you are installing
Any other PTFs that are required to install these PTFs

SMP/E provides operands (SOURCEID and GROUP or GROUPEXTEND) on the APPLY command that facilitate the installation of all required PTFs by use of one APPLY command. Installing all PTFs with one APPLY command provides several advantages:

It eliminates the need to run the APPLY command several times in order to install the complete set of PTFs required.
It reduces the risk of running out of space, because you are replacing elements in the target libraries less often.
It decreases overall processing time, because there is less SMP/E overhead and the system utilities are invoked less often.

When you update the target libraries, there are three distinct SMP/E jobs to be run:

Receive additional HOLDDATA. Before starting the APPLY, you should contact the IBM® Support Center to obtain any additional HOLDDATA for the CBPDO or ESO you are installing. This step is required if:
1. You did not obtain the additional HOLDDATA from the IBM Support Center during the staging phase.
2. There was a delay between the RECEIVE and APPLY staging phase and the target update phase.
We will not discuss this first step further here. If you need to perform this step, see Staging the SYSMODs: The RECEIVE process.
Run the APPLY CHECK job. This second step is a nonupdating mode of APPLY, referred to as the APPLY CHECK run. Its purpose is to assist in resolving any problems that prevent the APPLY itself from completing processing successfully.
Run the APPLY job. This third step is the updating mode of APPLY, in which the preventive service is installed into the target libraries.

The following topics describe the last two steps as well as the processing of PTFs that require special processing.