FAQ for TR for R710

Resolving The Problem

FAQ for Technology Refresh (TR) at R710 MF99xxx, SF99707.

Q1. Is the primary purpose for TR PTFs to avoid a long period of downtime to install a resave and then reapply the Cumulative PTF Package after that? As such, a TR concept was introduced to provide a Group PTF that contains all the relevant PTFs required for hardware functionality, which can be Permanently Applied in place of a Cumulative PTF Package that covers a resave.

A1. The answer to this is two-fold. First, having the TR allows Development the flexibility of not having to support so many release and modification levels. For example, while there was R530, R535, R540, R545, R610, they have 5 PTFs that could conceivably have to be built for a specific problem. This alleviates that. The second reason is that it gives both us and the customers more flexibility in backing off the TR. Previously, if a customer wanted to go back from R545 to R540, they had to SCRATCH. Now they only need to make sure they have a SAVSYS prior to applying the TR TEMP and SLIP LIC back.


Q2. How can the TR be ordered at R710?

A2. SF99707 or MF99xxx can be ordered. SF99707 will contain the TR PTF. It is also inevitable that the TR PTF will be part of the HIPER and Cumulative groups.


Q3. Is the TR a Marker PTF MF99xxx, where xxx will represent the TR number (for example, TR1=MF99001, TR2=MF99002, and so on)?

A3. The TR MF99xxx is not a marker PTF. It is a PTF; however, it will contain a very large number of parts or modules. The MF99xxx number will increment by one every time a new TR is created. It should not be thought of as MF99001 = TR1 because when V7R2 comes around, there will be a TR1 for V7R2 which will be something like 007 (for example, MF99007 or near that). We can not reuse 001, so this is the only Release where the TR PTFID will be the same as the TR level. However, the group level SF99707 Level 1 = TR1 is something we should advertise. When V7R2 comes around, there will be a new 7.2 TR Group (SF99717) Level 1 = TR1 for V7R2. So the PTF group level is the preferred way to map to TRn level.


Q4. In order for all of the required screens and menus for the PTF work, a prerequisite PTF MF49038 MUST be Permanently Applied before any TRes are able to be applied?

A4. If MF49038 is a follow-on PTF to the TR, MF49038 will fail to load until the TR is PERM-applied...not the reverse. You will get messages during the loading phase that state this. MF49038 is one of the PTFs that enable the TR function. However, for the screens to work, you need the following SS1 PTFs and their appropriate MRI requisites: SI38046, SI38079, and SI38080. It would also be advisable to have SI40878 and SI38727.


Q5. TR release will match resaves that will support new hardware (unless a resave is released for some software HIPER reason). So, they should generally come out every 6 months or thereabouts.

A5. Essentially, TRs will come out with every hardware announcement every 6 months. Generally speaking, this is true.


Q6. Are TRes cumulative so that only the latest need be applied to contain all the PTFs from previous refreshes?

A6. Yes, they are cumulative. MF99002 will supersede MF99001 so, if MF99001 is applied to the system, it will be PERM-applied during the process to apply MF99002. If it is not, MF99001 will show SUPERSEDED. If you are installing a new partition and are using install media or image catalogs, you will want to make sure that you are using the most current resave level for the Licensed Internal Code. This is because that resave will have the latest TR PTF already permanently applied to it.


Q7. Do all the TR PTFs need to be Permanently Applied before any PTFs that rely on it are able to be applied?

A7. This is essentially true. The statement “MUST ALL be Permanently Applied” is a bit misleading. Only the latest TR will be called out as the *TRREQ; therefore, that is the only one which would be required to be PERM-applied. With this new process, PTF chaining, as we know it, now can be broken; thus, making it necessary to PERM-apply a TR before a follow PTF can be loaded. Under the old process, a follow-on PTF would simply supersede the previous one; however, in this case, only a TR will supersede a TR so a follow-on PTF will show the TR as a *TRREQ.


Q8. The only PTF that will supersede the TR PTFs will be those of the next refresh?

A8. A TR will be the only PTF that will supersede a TR.


Q9. The TR PTF field for the DSPPTF Detailed Information is provided by the prerequisite PTF MF49038, as are the *TRREQ requisite type for PTFs, or is that from the PTFs SI38046, SI38079 and SI38080?

A9. The XPF PTFs provide the screen and menu changes for the DSPPTF or other PTF commands. MF49038 did add awareness of the TR flag during DST LIC PTF apply.


Q10. Will the resave R710-B contain the PTFs of TR 1 in a Permanently Applied form (as well as other HIPERs not related to new hardware)?

A10. This is true. The TR will generally be included in the Resaves of SLIC and will be in a PERM-applied state.


Q11. If a customer Permanently Applies C0229710, is this the equivalent of both R710-B and TR 1 applied?

A11. Equivalent is a strong statement. Each of these entities has different criteria, and was captured at a different point in time. The cumulative has aging criteria, so it may not contain some fixes in the resave. The resave may not include every LIC PTF in the cumulative. The group is specific PTFs that are related to new hardware and fixes to those functions. Even if you are installing the resave, I would advise acquiring the TR group as well to pick up hardware-related code that was not contained in the 999 product. The same would go for the cumulative. If you actually want to utilize hardware supported by TR1; because the group has a more current list of functions/fixes for TR1. To say you are at TR1, you should have TR Group level 1 at Installed status.


Q12. To Permanently Apply the TR, we need to choose to Permanently Apply SF99707, or is it MF99001?

A12. You would choose to PERM apply MF99xxx. Typically, if you are getting MF99001 in a PTF package (like the group), we will handle PERMing it for you. If you order the PTF as a single fix (MF99001), you should specify *PERM when applying it.


Q13. Because the C0229710 Cumulative PTF Package contains the TR, and there may be later HIPER PTFs that have requisite TR PTFs (*TRREQ), a customer who applies this Cumulative PTF Package (even without having new hardware) will have to Permanently Apply the TR PTF or PTFs (depending upon your answer to the question from the previous bullet) before any of those other *TRREQ PTFs will even be loaded from the Cumulative PTF Package. Because the C0229710 Cumulative PTF Package contains the TR, and there may be later HIPER PTFs that have requisite TR PTFs (*TRREQ), a customer who applies this Cumulative PTF Package (even without having new hardware) will have to Permanently Apply the TR PTF or PTFs before any of those other *TRREQ PTFs will even be loaded from the Cumulative PTF Package.

A13. This is a true statement.


Q14. After upgrading to R710, the system will come up on the A side. If the customer is upgrading using RS-710-A and attempts to install C0229710 or later while on the A side, the PTF installation will fail with CPF35AF - Incorrect status for PTF 5770999-MF99001. You may also see CPI35C5 in the joblog - Superseded licensed internal code fixes not applied. What needs to be done to successfully install the cumulative after an upgrade?

A14. SI40878 addresses an issue with applying the TR refresh PTF on the A side. The two options to get the cumulative installed are as follows:

a. Apply SI40878 immediately and install the cumulative again. SI40878 is on level 10 of the HIPER group; it is immediate and it has no requisite PTFs.
b. IPL the system to the B side and apply the PTFs which will require another IPL.