Ordering fixes

A variety of methods such as traditional CL commands, electronic support, or Web downloads can be used to order fixes for your individual IBM i business environment.

Before you begin ordering fixes, you should order and apply the latest cumulative PTF package. When you apply cumulative PTF packages, you reduce the number of fixes that you need to order and distribute later.

Some fix orders require special handling when received at an IBM i service provider from a service requester. The following list identifies these special fix packages and indicates what they are:

  • MF98vrm: Hardware Service Planning package
  • SF98vrm: Preventive Service Planning package
  • SF99vrm: Cumulative PTF package
  • SF99xxx: PTF group
  • SF97vrm: PTF Summary package

The vrm identifier stands for the version, release, and modification level of the operating system for which you are ordering the PTF package. You can order these PTF packages individually or as a part of a list. You can order most PTFs as part of a mixed list. A mixed list PTF order can contain operating system fixes, most licensed program fixes, and Licensed Internal Code fixes. Only fixes that begin with the prefix SH are not included in the mixed list. Order these fixes separately. Information APARs are coded with the II prefix and are not considered fixes. You must order those separately.

Several methods exist that allow you to order your fixes: voice support, Fix Central, and the SNDPTFORD command. Details are provided here for Fix Central and the SNDPTFORD command. You can find more information about the other methods from the Ordering PTFs page under the Support for IBM i Web page.

Note: In some special circumstances, you may want to create your own custom fix package for sending, loading, and applying fixes on systems in your network. For more information, see Advanced fix installation: Building a custom fix package.