Russell Witt wrote:
I had a request from a client today, asking when CA-1 would stop being
delivered in SMP/e format and would be a simple library-download. From my
other talks with clients, I thought everyone wanted products delivered in
SMP/e format. And this was the first time I had seen a request to go
backwards to simply giving people a loadlib that they could refresh on a
monthly/quarterly basis as required. This client pointed to a number of
other products that do not use SMP/e and he felt SMP/e way to cumbersome to
deal with (obviously, he was in charge of OEM products and not maintenance
to the operating system itself). Still, I have to ask, would clients prefer
to have an optional non-SMP/e installation procedure even when it means
having to download a fresh copy of the product in order to apply
maintenance?
I am not saying I can change the packaging of CA-1 by myself, but if many
clients are interested it is something I can push for. I have just never
seen a request like this before.
A non-SMP/E install can seem desirable to someone without much SMP/E
experience (or for whom a "re-boot" is considered a problem solution),
but such an install introduces it's own set of problems, the most
serious of which (IMHO) is its inability to "call in" required fixes for
IBM components.
The most recent example for us was APAR OA17010 against RMF. That APAR
fixed a serious problem with ERBSMFI that would result in a recovery
loop when invoked by the current (E)JES release on back-level z/OS
systems. Once IBM fixed the problem, we added the requisite IFREQ
statements to our SMP/E MCS. We've had similar recent issues over the
past couple of years with the z/OS Console Restructure, z990
Exploitation Feature, JES2, JES3, OMVS, and other components. We can
distribute our own fixes -- no problem. But, there's just no equivalent
method for synchronizing required IBM maintenance when performing a
non-SMP/E install!
Rather than taking any giant backward leaps (IEBCOPY and ZAPs give me
bad dreams), I'm waiting patiently for IBM to finish the z/OS
implementation of its cross-platform "Solution Installer". That should
help relieve any "ease of use" issues associated with SMP/E while, at
the same time, continuing to provide maintenance tracking and
cross-component synchronization needed by complex products installed in
a robust, mission-critical environment like z/OS.
--
Edward E Jaffe
Phoenix Software International, Inc
5200 W Century Blvd, Suite 800
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310-338-0400 x318
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.phoenixsoftware.com/
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