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Note: z/VSE 6.2 is not supported anymore. The End-Of-Service effective date is September 30, 2023, see z/VSE 6.2 End-Of-Service Information for details.
A service refresh can be used to update your z/VSE system to the most recent z/VSE release and service level. When you order a refresh, you get the z/VSE product tapes. The refresh is installed by performing a Fast Service Upgrade (FSU).
You can order a refresh with IBM Shopz. After you signed in, you create a new order, and select all your installed products from the product catalog. Since you already have a license for this product, you get the most recent release level without being charged.
IBM Shopz is available for customers in certain countries. An overview of IBM Shopz can be found in the Help section of IBM Shopz.
With ShopzSeries the following can be ordered:
- z/VSE base tapes
- z/VSE optional products
- z/VSE preventive service (Hiper/PE)
- z/VSE corrective service (PTFs, APARs)
When you order the z/VSE base tapes or optional products, you get a CD-ROM/DVD or download a file containing a tape image in AWSTAPE format. The z/VSE operating system consists of 3 files (z/VSE base, z/VSE extended base, DB2 Help Texts), for the optional products you have only one file available. If multiple optional products ordered you find all these optional products in this one file in z/VSE stacked format. In addition, a readme-file is provided, which points to the sources of installation instructions.
When you ordering z/VSE service (APARs, PTFs) you get a binary job stream that contains the PTFs. Follow the PTF installation instructions to install the service. For ordering Hiper/PE service, you must first provide a 'Installed Software Report' that contains information about installed products and PTFs.
This section describes the preparation required if you received PTFs ordered with IBM Shopz. The shipment you received consists of several files, a readme-file, the PTF cover letter file, and the PTF file itself. The readme and cover letter files are plain text and can be read without being transferred to the VSE system. The PTF file includes all the PTFs ordered and must be transferred to the VSE system as a binary file. The PTF file might be compressed. Before you transfer it to z/VSE, you must extract it first.
Transfer to the z/VSE system can be done in several ways. It is recommended to transfer to a VSE/VSAM file called IJSYSPF (PTF.FILE) which is defined on the z/VSE system and used by the PTF application dialog (VSE/ESA 2.4.0 or later), or to use z/VSE Virtual Tape Support. For older z/VSE systems, a tape is required as the application medium. In this case, a z/VSE library is needed as intermediate storage.
How PTF Application should not be done
PTF files should NOT be transferred directly to the z/VSE system (VSE/POWER reader) because:
- PRE- and CO-requirements might not be fulfilled due to wrong order of PTFs, and thus CO-requirements do not work at all.
- VSE/POWER JECL included in the data part of the PTFs are processed while you apply the PTF. This unwanted processing leads to modified contents of the PTF, and also might cause the code to be incomplete.
- Missing VSE/POWER JECL in the PTF file causes VSE/POWER to extract z/VSE JOB cards. This situation also leads to modified contents of the PTF, and might also be incomplete due to job termination.
- No indirect application possible.
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Modified date:
09 October 2023
UID
isg3T1027459