Preparing to upgrade or replace software with virtual optical storage using the Network File System

You can use virtual optical storage using the Network File System to perform an IBM i software upgrade, to install PTFs (fixes), or to install single licensed programs that you receive on media.

When you use a virtual optical storage using the Network File System, you preload all your media so that you do not need to handle the physical media when you perform the installation. This setup is done on the server being used to serve the optical image files. You do this by copying the images from the physical optical media or from files received through electronic software delivery to a directory in the integrated file system and then use these preloaded images to install. The topic Virtual storage describes further the concepts and uses of virtual optical media. An image catalog must be used on the image server. Image catalog for a virtual device describes the requirements for using image catalogs. In the following steps the reference to client system refers to the system being installed.