IBM Support

TS7700 Code Update Recommendation

Notification


Risk classification

Informational

Subcategories for Informational notifications

Product Lifecycle Information

Affected Domain

All TS7760, TS7770 and TS7780 users

Abstract

TS7700 Code Update Recommendation September 17th 2025:
  • Release of code level R6.1 GA (8.61.0.60)
  • Minimum code level for 3948-VED and 3957-VED will be updated to R5.4 PGA2 (8.54.2.17) on January 12th
TS7700 Code Update Recommendation October 1st 2025:
  • Release of code level R6.0 PGA0 (8.60.0.116) - This code level has been released due to a new critical server component not supported by R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115
  • For customers that have 3957-VED, 3948-VED and 3948-VEF active machines with R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115, it is not necessary to update their code level to R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 since the previous version of the affected server component is supported at code level R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115.
  • Code level R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 is to be included in new machines shipping from manufacturing after the date of this publication in order to bring support for those new server components. 
  • Recommended "go to" code level for 3957-VED, 3948-VED and 3948-VEF will be updated to R6.0 GA (8.60.0.115) or R6.0 PGA0 (8.60.0.116) on January 12th. This means that code level R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 is compatible with both versions of the affected server component.
  • Enough FRU stock of the old server component will be available for customers that have active systems with R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115 for the foreseeable future in case a replacement is ever needed.
  • For more details on this matter please refer to the notification: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7246605

Description

This generalized recommendation is made available to assist clients in implementing a code update strategy. It is a full field perspective, and as such, a customized recommendation that considers specifics such as business upgrade windows, length of time since last update, decommission plans might require assistance from local support teams. In general, recommendations assume planning updates annually. The word "must" in the following notes refers to bundles resolving specific problems for a targeted subset of TS7700s and communicated through My Notifications to clients, or ECA (Engineering Change, Field Actions) Information Alerts to IBM Service colleagues.
Model Minimum Level Recommended "go to" Level
Latest Level
TS7780
(3948-VEF)
R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115 (Dec 2024) or
R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)**
R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115 (Dec 2024) or
R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)**
 R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025)
TS7770
(3948-VED)
R5.4 PGA1 - 8.54.1.27 (Mar 2024)
R5.4 PGA2 - 8.54.2.17 (Mar 2025)
R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025)
TS7770
(3957-VED)*
R5.4 PGA1 - 8.54.1.27 (Mar 2024)
R5.4 PGA2 - 8.54.2.17 (Mar 2025)
R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025)


* Existing TS7770 (3957-VED) need to be upgraded to 128GB of memory (FC 3479, 64GB DDR 4 memory upgrade for P9 based VED), whereas TS7770 (3948-VED) offer 128GB memory by default.

** Code level R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 has been released to address a compatibility issue on a critical server component that affects 3948-VEF machines shipped after September 29th. For more details refer to: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7246605

Note: For systems running R5.2 or above, support for copy export recovery has been restricted to R4.1 Phase 2 and above. Therefore, volumes created through copy export with older code level can't be restored on a system with R5.2 code level or above. See field information for further details.


Note: TS1150 and TS1160 tape drives only support JC media and above. Therefore, copy export volumes written on JA/JB media cannot be read for copy export recovery with these newer tape drive generations.


Note:  As a reminder, End of Development (EoD) support was announced for TS7760, effective 31 December 2023, at which time no more code fixes will be provided.
            https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/announcements/2023-hardware-maintenance-services-withdrawal

Note: Neither fixes nor root cause analysis will be provided for code level below minimum code.


Update TS7700 to appropriate minimum, recommended or latest level as applicable, preferably leveraging Remote Code Load https://tape.ibmrcl.enterpriseappointments.com/v2/.

.

Major Code Release specific recommendation and code upgrade path details:

Model Major Release Minimum Level Release specific Recommended Level Latest Level
TS7780
(3948-VEF)
 R6.1 R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025) R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025) R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025)
R6.0
R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115 (Dec 2024) or
R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)
R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115 (Dec 2024) or
R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)
 R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)
TS7770
(3948-VED)
 R6.1 R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025) R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025) R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025)
R6.0 R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115 (Dec 2024) or
R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)
 R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115 (Dec 2024) or
R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)
 R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)
R5.4
R5.4 PGA1 - 8.54.1.27 (Mar 2024)
R5.4 PGA2 - 8.54.2.17 (Mar 2025)
R5.4 PGA2 - 8.54.2.17 (Mar 2025)
TS7770
(3957-VED)
 R6.1 R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025) R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025) R6.1 GA - 8.61.0.60 (Sep 2025)
R6.0 R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115 (Dec 2024) or
R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)
 R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.115 (Dec 2024) or
R6.0 PGA0 - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)
 R6.0 GA - 8.60.0.116 (Sep 2025)
R5.4 R5.4 PGA1 - 8.54.1.27 (Mar 2024)  R5.4 PGA2 - 8.54.2.17 (Mar 2025)  R5.4 PGA2 - 8.54.2.17 (Mar 2025)
R5.3 R5.3 GA and R5.3 PGA1 move to recommended code level R5.4 PGA2 *
R5.2
R5.2 Phase 2 move to recommended code level R5.4 PGA2 *
R5.2 Phase 1 PGA2 move to recommended code level R5.4 PGA2 *

.
Notes:
* Neither fixes nor root cause analysis will be provided for code level below minimum code.
To upgrade a TS7760 with microcode levels R4.0 to R5.0, the system must first be upgraded to R4.1 or R4.2.
To upgrade a TS7760 with microcode levels R4.0 to R5.1, the system must first be upgraded to R4.2.
To upgrade a TS7760 with microcode levels R4.1 to R5.1, the system must first be upgraded to R4.2 or R5.0.
To upgrade a TS7760 with microcode levels R4.x to R5.2, the system must first be upgraded to R5.0 or R5.1.
To upgrade a TS7770 with microcode levels R5.0 to R5.3, the system must first be upgraded to R5.1 or R5.2.
To upgrade a TS7770 with microcode levels R5.0 to R5.4, the system must first be upgraded to R5.2.
To upgrade a TS7770 with microcode levels R5.1 to R5.4, the system must first be upgraded to R5.2 or R5.3.
To upgrade a TS7770 with microcode levels R5.2 or older to R6.0, the system must first be upgraded to R5.3 or R5.4.
To upgrade a TS7770 with microcode levels R5.3 to R6.1, the system must first be upgraded to R5.4 or R6.0.

TS7700 Recommended vtd_exec Matrix: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6416101
TSSC / IMC / TS3000 Code Update Recommendation: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6334617
TS4500 Code Update Recommendation: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/697693

IBM has tested compatibility of TS7700 with z114, z14, z15, z16 and z17.

Historical Information

Model Minimum Level Recommended "go to" Level Latest Level
TS7760 (3957-VEC)
End of service
 R5.2 Phase 1 PGA2 - 8.52.102.13 (Sep 2022) R5.2 Phase 1 PGA3 - 8.52.103.23 (Feb 2023) R5.2 Phase 1 PGA3 - 8.52.103.23 (Feb 2023)

V07/VEB (R4.x) - compatible to upgrade to R4.x (32GB memory)**
End of service

8.41.200.113 (Apr 2018)

8.41.201.4 (Dec 2018)

8.42.2.12 (Oct 2019)***

V07/VEB (R3.3) - not compatible to upgrade to R4.x (16GB memory)**
End of service

8.33.2.9 (Jan 2017)

8.33.3.14 (May 2018)

8.33.3.14 (May 2018)

V06/VEA (R2.1)
End of service

8.21.0.178 (Dec 2014)*

8.21.0.178 (Dec 2014)*

8.21.0.178 (Dec 2014)*


Fixes will no longer be provided for R5.3.x.x and earlier code levels.
V07/VEB customers running R3.3 or earlier code on older 4Gb/s FICON systems with 16GB of memory must upgrade their systems to 32GB of memory (Feature Code #3462 – 16GB Memory Upgrade) before upgrading their systems to R4.x, or upgrade to 8Gb/s FICON, which includes the memory upgrade.

Notes:
To upgrade a V07/VEB TS7700 with microcode levels R2.1 through R3.0 to R3.3, the system must first be upgraded to R3.2, and then to R3.3.
To upgrade a V07/VEB TS7700 with microcode levels R2.1 through R3.0 to R4.0, the system must first be upgraded to R3.2 and then to R4.0.
To upgrade a TS7700 with microcode levels R3.1 to R4.0, the system must first be upgraded to R3.2 or R3.3, and then R4.0.
To upgrade a V07/VEB TS7700 with microcode levels R2.1 or R3.0 to R4.1, the system must first be upgraded to R3.1 or R3.2, followed by an upgrade to R3.3 (two hops required), and then finally an upgrade to R4.1.
To upgrade a TS7700 with microcode levels R3.1 or R3.2 to R4.1, the system must first be upgraded to R3.3 and then to R4.1.
To upgrade a TS7700 with microcode levels R2.1 through R3.3 to R4.2, the system must first be upgraded to R4.0 and then to R4.2.


* A TPF-specific-exposure exists in R2.1 PGA7 - http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ssg1S1012222
** Code update considerations for TS7740/TS7720 - http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ssg1S1009599
*** Code update considerations for R4.2 - http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ibm10732663

Recommended Action

Update TS7700 to appropriate minimum, recommended or latest level as applicable.

Date first published

28 September 2020

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Document Information

Modified date:
01 October 2025

UID

ibm16334607

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