Because changing operational procedures is such a headache, it takes about 6 weeks, we do not change the IPL volume. Add to that that we have some pretty heavy vendor modifications to the CP, we simply cannot use the SERVICE/PUT2PROD approach, We do a vanilla 2nd level install and test. When we have checked out the functionality 2nd level, we promote the CPLOAD MODULE and any changes to the PARM disk to the first level system and have our big users run regression tests. If all goes well, the CP remains; if not, it is fallback time.
Once the CP is up and running, we have less traumatic outages of parts of the system as we cut over piece-meal: GCS/VTAM/RSCS (soon to be GCS/RSCS), CMS/TCPIP, and finally, those parts not in use here (AVS, TSAF, etc.) When everything has been installed, we move the MAINT id to the first level system. For applying maintenance, we receive and apply it from the first level system. We test what we can on the first level system. For instance, we can easily create a CMS NSS under a different name and test on the main system using that name. When satisfied, we leave that NSS and create an IPLER named CMS pointing to it. We test CP and TCPIP 2nd level and promote the CPLOAD MODULE to the production PARM disk when ready. We do not have a heavy Linux load as yet, so part of our testing of CP and TCPIP is to use them in the Linux LPAR for several days before installing them on the main system. Regards, Richard Schuh -----Original Message----- From: The IBM z/VM Operating System [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Thomas Kern Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 7:48 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: MAINTENANCE This is what I do for applying maintenance or release upgrades. I have a second level virtual machine for my current system maintenance. When I get a new release (hopely 5.3 will arrive in a while), I create a brand new virtual machine for that system. In that system I apply the maintenance in as vanilla a fashion as possible, deviating from the manuals only when something is broken. Then I install or apply any maintenance to other vendor software. After doing what limited testing I can, I copy the necessary program minidisks to first level. This does require extra DASD space first level but not a full duplicate of first level or of second level. Then I can through file changes (CP701 MODULE instead of CPLOAD MODULE), and directory minidisk address swaps, I can bring online each component's new level, starting with a new CP nucleus, new CMS, new TCPIP, new GCS, new RSCS, etc. After more testing during my systems time, I can leave it for users and slowing in the background, rearrange code so that the new levels are on minidisks in good places for performance or recoverability. Then one more systems time for IPLing the system in a final production configuration. I am at DR exercise this week. Feel free to call me at the office next week if you would like to discuss more details. /Tom Kern /301-903-2211 --- "Anne D. Crabtree" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > So, I was hoping to ask all the people on the list if they would be > willing to share their strategy regarding applying maintenance to VM! > > It was obviously not a topic that could be covered at SHARE since > everyone has their own way of doing it... > > As I indicated at SHARE, for those of you who attended the wrap-up > session, my inclination is to: > > - create a second level VM, > - apply maintenance, > - see if it works, > - if it does, do it all again on first level. > > We are a VERY small shop with only a handful of linux instances. We only > have z/vm in order to run linux. > > Can I put maintenance on with those instances up? Seems like that would > not be a good idea (comes to mind the time I did PUT2PROD from my desk, > TCP/IP got taken down, and I got zapped!). However, as Jim indicated, > z/vm 5.3 handles tcp/ip differently so ??? I would really appreciate > any insight that anyone can provide... > > Thanks! ________________________________________________________________________ ____________ Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell. http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/
