Preparing a tape image catalog to install software

These steps show how you create an image catalog, add an image catalog entry, and load the image catalog in preparation of performing an IBM® i software upgrade. The steps use a virtual tape device in the example.

1. Create a virtual tape device.

   To create a device description, enter the following:

   CRTDEVTAP DEVD(virtual-device-name) RSRCNAME(*VRT)+
    ONLINE(*YES) TEXT(text-description)

2. Vary on the virtual tape device
   Enter the following:

   VRYCFG CFGOBJ(virtual-device-name) CFGTYPE(*DEV) STATUS(*ON)

3. Create an image catalog

   Create an image catalog for the licensed programs that you want to install. The Create Image Catalog (CRTIMGCLG) command associates an image catalog with a target directory where the optical image files are loaded.

   CRTIMGCLG IMGCLG(catalog-name) DIR(catalog-path) TYPE(*TAP) 
    CRTDIR(*YES) TEXT(text-description)

   If you have stored your tape images in an image catalog directory, a fast way to add all of the images at one time is to create an image catalog and have all volumes found in the directory added to the image catalog automatically.

   

   CRTIMGCLG IMGCLG(catalog-name) DIR(catalog-path) TYPE(*TAP) 
    ADDVRTVOL(*DIR) IMGTYPE(*ALL) TEXT(text-description)

   
4. Add an image catalog entry

   Add an image catalog entry for each tape image file that you have. You need to repeat this step for each image file. You should add the tape image files in the same order as if you were going to install from them.

   You can add the entries from an existing tape image file by using one of these ways:

   • (This is the fastest way.) To add an image entry to an image catalog from an integrated-file-system file that is already in the image catalog directory, enter the following:

     ADDIMGCLGE IMGCLG(catalog-name) FROMFILE(file-name)
      TOFILE(*fromfile) TEXT(text-description)

   • If you have multiple images to add, refer back to step 3 and use the CRTIMGCLG command along with the ADDVRTVOL(*DIR) parameter to add all of the images at the same time the catalog is created.
   • To add an image catalog entry to an image catalog from an existing integrated-file-system tape image file from a directory other than the image catalog directory, enter the following:

     ADDIMGCLGE IMGCLG(catalog-name)
      FROMFILE(/directory-name/directory-name/file-name)
      TOFILE(file-name or *FROMFILE) TEXT(text-description)

5. Load the image catalog

   This step associates the virtual tape device to the image catalog. Only one image catalog at a time can be associated with a specific virtual tape device. To load the image catalog, type the following command:

   LODIMGCLG IMGCLG(catalog-name) 
    DEV(virtual-device-name) OPTION(*LOAD)

6. Verify that the images are in the correct order
   Attention: If you are here because you are performing the steps in Preselecting the licensed programs to install, do not perform this step at this time. You are directed to perform this step later.

   If you are preparing for an upgrade, you need to verify that the required media for an upgrade exist and are sorted in the correct sequence. You also need to verify that you have enough storage on the load source and that you have enough reserved storage for the Licensed Internal Code. Refer to Required: Allocating additional space for Licensed Internal Codefor details.

   Enter the following command:

   VFYIMGCLG IMGCLG(catalog-name) TYPE(*UPGRADE) SORT(*YES)

   To verify that images are added, an additional method would be to enter the following:

   WRKIMGCLGE IMGCLG(catalog-name)

   Then press F7 to prompt for the VFYIMGCLG command. Enter *UPGRADE for the type and *YES for the sort field.

   The system puts the images in the correct order. (If you are not successful, refer to Image catalog recovery.) By default, the volume with the lowest index is mounted. Then all the other volumes are loaded. To see the order of the images, use the Work with Image Catalog Entries (WRKIMGCLGE) command:

   WRKIMGCLGE IMGCLG(catalog-name)