Bravo, Skip!

This is what I always did as well.  I had a former coworker who would go 
through and manually exclude every PTF that failed with a HOLDERROR, until he 
was able to get to a RC4 on his apply check.  He wasted untold hours doing 
this, just so he could get a RC4 on his APPLY.  I think he even went so far as 
to RESTORE the sysmods applied if he hit a space problem so his final APPLY 
would show all the PTFs being applied going in at once.  Bizarre!

Rex

-----Original Message-----
From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf 
Of Skip Robinson
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2012 10:31 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: SMP/E question

I have never understood the fixation with rock bottom return codes. SMP/E 
maintenance is so much simpler without agonizing over every uneven cobblestone 
along the path.

1. RECEIVE HOLDDATA the same day you begin installing. If you're not sure how 
fresh your HOLDDATA is, pull it again. The cost is trivial.

2. APPLY CHECK (as others have said) excluding nothing but HOLDSYS.

3, Study the CAUSER report. If you see only messages about unresolved HOLD 
errors, you are good to go. Don't waste time building EXCLUDE lists. SMP/E will 
exclude error sysmods without your having to lift a finger. By design.

4. Resubmit the job with the word CHECK commented out. P.S. do not edit the 
source JCL; use SDSF SJ (or other product equivalent) so that the next submit 
from your CNTL library will retain CHECK.

5. Expect RC 8. (Anything less is miraculous. A miracle won't get you a raise 
or a hot date.)

6. Study the CAUSER report again. If all you see are unresolved HOLD errors, 
you're done. Move on.

7. If you see space or directory errors, you MUST fix them now. Use PDS command 
(or StarTool if you have it) to fix these errors. Modify secondary extents 
and/or directory blocks as needed. Then return to Step 4.

If you are deeply disturbed by RC 8, either take a (physician prescribed) pill, 
or spend some of your vast spare time researching each error sysmod.
If you determine that your shop desperately  needs a particular PTF in error, 
then open an SR to see if IBM will give you an APAR testfix. This is itself the 
start of a whole new adventure that you may come to rue down the road. 
Reconsider the pill option. It's your choice.

.
.
JO.Skip Robinson
SCE Infrastructure Technology Services
Electric Dragon Team Paddler
SHARE MVS Program Co-Manager
626-302-7535 Office
323-715-0595 Mobile
[email protected]



From:   "Gibney, Dave" <[email protected]>
To:     [email protected]
Date:   09/06/2012 06:40 PM
Subject:        Re: SMP/E question
Sent by:        IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]>



I exclude the specific PTFs with unresolved holderror and apply the rest.
It is usually only a dozen or so.

I really recommend order from server to insure you have all maint and all
holddata.

Dave Gibney
Information Technology Services
Washington State University


> -----Original Message-----
> From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected]]
> On Behalf Of ??? ?? ???
> Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2012 3:56 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: SMP/E question
>
> Hi,
> I received the HOLDDATA from IBM.
> For example the first problem on the list is with PTF UA60617. I checked
> online, and it says that this PTF is from October 4th, 2011, and is
still in error.
> Is there a way to find out if there is a fix for the fix?
>
> I will change my bypass statement.
>
> Gadi

<huge snippage>

----------------------------------------------------------------------
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN

The information contained in this e-mail may contain confidential and/or 
privileged information and is intended for the sole use of the intended 
recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that 
any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution or copying of this communication 
is strictly prohibited and that you will be held responsible for any such 
unauthorized activity, including liability for any resulting damages. As 
appropriate, such incident(s) may also be reported to law enforcement. If you 
received this e-mail in error, please reply to sender and destroy or delete the 
message and any attachments. Thank you.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN

Reply via email to