All Groups - A new PTF group for a specific release

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I'm sure most of you periodically download and install PTF groups that are applicable to your environment.  To simplify the process of downloading the latest PTF Groups, we've added an "All PTF Groups" PTF group, SF99VR1 where V is the version and R is the release. For example:

• SF99721 for 7.2 (established in September, 2014)
• SF99711 for 7.1 (established in August, 2013)

This PTF group includes the latest level of all PTF groups, for a specific release, except the Cumulative PTF Package group.  The All Groups PTF group lists all PTF groups for the release as related PTF groups.  Use option 9 (Display related PTF groups) on the Work with PTF Groups (WRKPTFGRP) command to display the related PTF groups.

When you order the All Groups PTF group, the latest level of each PTF group is downloaded.  The All Groups PTF group itself will rarely be updated; only when a new PTF group is added for a release.  When you order the All Groups PTF group, only the PTFs you are missing will be downloaded, along with the most recent level of each PTF group applicable to your partition.  For example, if you're used to ordering a set of PTF groups once a month, you could instead order the All Groups PTF group once a month and get all the recent updates.  Any PTF groups that are not applicable (contain PTFs for not-installed products) to your partition will not be downloaded.

You can use either Fix Central or the Send PTF Order (SNDPTFORD) command to order the All Groups PTF group.  However, if you're using SNDPTFORD, you must have PTF SI54633 (7.2) or SI54634 (7.1) applied to your partition BEFORE you issue SNDPTFORD to download the "All PTF Groups" PTF group (SF99721 or SF99711).  PTFs SI54633 and SI54634 contain fixes to SNDPTFORD processing when handling related PTF groups.

As usual, install the downloaded PTF groups using your preferred interface (GO PTF option 8 or System i Navigator) and use the WRKPTFGRP command to verify that all PTF groups were installed successfully.  After PTF install, the PTF groups should have a status of "Installed", "Not applicable", or "Related group".
 

• Installed
  All PTFs for products that are installed on this system are temporarily or permanently applied.
• Not applicable
  All PTFs in the PTF group and related PTF groups are for products which are not installed or supported on this system.
• Related group
  The PTF group does not have any PTFs for products installed or supported on the system. However, it is identified in another PTF group as a related PTF group.  Deleting a PTF group in this status will cause the dependent PTF group to have a status of Unknown.