Considerations when changing a support level of an existing processor

From the HCD perspective, each new support level of an existing processor type requires an additional PIT. You may see multiple lines for the same processor type-model on the Query Supported Processors screen if HCD finds a few PITs for the same processor type-model. If a change of a support level is required for changing existing or/and adding new I/O features, you must initiate the Change Processor Definition dialogue. Do not alter anything on the first screen unless there are fields that you would wish to update; after pressing the Enter key, HCD will display the Available Support Levels panel accompanied with the following message:

CBDA123I A support level selection is required. Read message help
 to get instructions on how to access support level detail information.

Here you can choose a target support level; only after the change you may be able to modify those components of the I/O configuration that depend on a specific support level.

From the hardware perspective, a change of a support level is always a concurrent operation, it does not require bringing a processor down. If changing a support level is the only modification in the processor configuration in the IODF in preparation for future modifications of channel paths, control units, etc., this processor configuration may be dynamically activated without varying/configuring offline any of channel paths and/or I/O devices.However, a change of a support level is always aimed to modify the active I/O configuration. When such modifications are introduced in the IODF, then, depending on each installation's environment or technical reasons, some changes of the active I/O configuration may require bringing operating systems down with or without bringing down the whole processor. Please refer to subsequent sections in this Chapter for more information regarding changing different parts of the I/O configuration.

Note:

If a processor model in the definition of your processor needs to be changed but its type will remain the same, and there are no other planned changes in the I/O configuration, there is no immediate need to activate a new processor configuration, you may delay dynamic I/O configuration until changes in other parts of your I/O configuration.