IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 19, Number 8
March 1, 2017 Doug Bidwell
It pays to be regular when it comes to systems management, and it is not a good thing to get too far behind. Take Windows Server as an example. With tens of millions of customers and plenty of bugs and security patches for this target-rich environment, Microsoft has to do everything in its power to try to keep the Windows installed base – both servers and PCs – patched and secured.
Windows Update can be used to automatically apply patches as they come out in the wake of Patch Tuesday once a month, or customers can set up a dedicated machine to run Windows Server Update Services, which downloads the Windows patches to a central server within your datacenter and then allows system admins to review the patches and then push them out to the PCs and servers on the corporate network.
IBM has not done anything like this for PTFs – there is no automatic update or SUS server. But with IBM i 7.2 and 7.3, Big Blue has added a policy-driven automatic patching mechanism that is similar to Windows Update. It is probably wise to set it up and put it on hold, and then after reviewing the patches, apply them manually to IBM i 7.2 or 7.3. The automatic function is a good thing, but you have to know what the heck you are doing automatically.
Our recommendation is a little more subtle. We think you should create your own Patch Wednesday. Use the IBM i PTF Guide and determine what is best for your organization and follow a regular cadence of applying patches and keeping current. If you don’t want to do this yourself, then DLB Associates is happy to provide such a managed PTF service for you.
Now, without further ado, here is the archive of the IBM i PTF Guide:
February 25, 2017: Volume 19, Number 8
February 18, 2017: Volume 19, Number 7
February 11, 2017: Volume 19, Number 6
February 4, 2017: Volume 19, Number 5
January 28, 2017: Volume 19, Number 4
January 21, 2017: Volume 19, Number 3
January 14, 2017: Volume 19, Number 2
January 7, 2017: Volume 19, Number 1
December 24, 2016: Volume 18, Number 52
December 17, 2016: Volume 18, Number 51
December 10, 2016: Volume 18, Number 50
December 3, 2016: Volume 18, Number 49
November 26, 2016: Volume 18, Number 48
November 19, 2016: Volume 18, Number 47
November 12, 2016: Volume 18, Number 46
November 5, 2016: Volume 18, Number 45
October 29, 2016: Volume 18, Number 44
October 22, 2016: Volume 18, Number 43
October 15, 2016: Volume 18, Number 42
October 8, 2016: Volume 18, Number 41
October 1, 2016: Volume 18, Number 40
September 24, 2016: Volume 18, Number 39
September 17, 2016: Volume 18, Number 38
September 10, 2016: Volume 18, Number 37
September 3, 2016: Volume 18, Number 36
August 27, 2016: Volume 18, Number 35
August 20, 2016: Volume 18, Number 34
August 13, 2016: Volume 18, Number 33
August 6, 2016: Volume 18, Number 32
July 30, 2016: Volume 18, Number 31
July 23, 2016: Volume 18, Number 30
July 16, 2016: Volume 18, Number 29
July 9, 2016: Volume 18, Number 28
July 2, 2016: Volume 18, Number 27
June 25, 2016: Volume 18, Number 26
June 18, 2016: Volume 18, Number 25
June 11, 2016: Volume 18, Number 24
June 4, 2016: Volume 18, Number 23
May 28, 2016: Volume 18, Number 22
May 21, 2016: Volume 18, Number 21
May 14, 2016: Volume 18, Number 20
May 7, 2016: Volume 18, Number 19
April 30, 2016: Volume 18, Number 18
April 23, 2016: Volume 18, Number 17
April 16, 2016: Volume 18, Number 16
April 9, 2016: Volume 18, Number 15
April 2, 2016: Volume 18, Number 14
March 26, 2016: Volume 18, Number 13
March 19, 2016: Volume 18, Number 12
March 12, 2016: Volume 18, Number 11
March 5, 2016: Volume 18, Number 10
February 27, 2016: Volume 18, Number 9
February 22, 2016: Volume 18, Number 8
February 13, 2016: Volume 18, Number 7
February 6, 2016: Volume 18, Number 6
January 30, 2016: Volume 18, Number 5
January 23, 2016: Volume 18, Number 4
January 16, 2016: Volume 18, Number 3
January 9, 2016: Volume 18, Number 2
January 2, 2016: Volume 18, Number 1
December 26, 2015: Volume 17, Number 52
December 19, 2015: Volume 17, Number 51
December 12, 2015: Volume 17, Number 50
December 5, 2015: Volume 17, Number 49
November 28, 2015: Volume 17, Number 48
November 21, 2015: Volume 17, Number 47
November 14, 2015: Volume 17, Number 46
November 7, 2015: Volume 17, Number 45
October 31, 2015: Volume 17, Number 44
October 24, 2015: Volume 17, Number 43
October 17, 2015: Volume 17, Number 42
October 10, 2015:olume 17, Number 41
October 3, 2015: Volume 17, Number 40
September 26, 2015: Volume 17, Number 39
September 19, 2015: Volume 17, Number 38
September 12, 2015: Volume 17, Number 37
September 5, 2015: Volume 17, Number 36
August 29, 2015: Volume 17, Number 35
August 22, 2015: Volume 17, Number 34
August 15, 2015: Volume 17, Number 33
August 1, 2015: Volume 17, Number 31
July 25, 2015: Volume 17, Number 30
July 18, 2015: Volume 17, Number 29
July 11, 2015: Volume 17, Number 28
July 4, 2015: Volume 17, Number 27
June 27, 2015: Volume 17, Number 26
June 20, 2015: Volume 17, Number 25
June 13, 2015: Volume 17, Number 24
June 6, 2015: Volume 17, Number 23
May 30, 2015: Volume 17, Number 22
May 23, 2015: Volume 17, Number 21
May 16, 2015: Volume 17, Number 20
May 9, 2015: Volume 17, Number 19
May 2, 2015: Volume 17, Number 18
April 25, 2015: Volume 17, Number 17
April 18, 2015: Volume 17, Number 16
April 11, 2015: Volume 17, Number 15
April 4, 2015: Volume 17, Number 14
March 28, 2015: Volume 17, Number 13
March 21, 2015: Volume 17, Number 12
March 14, 2015: Volume 17, Number 11
March 7, 2015: Volume 17, Number 10
February 28, 2015: Volume 17, Number 09
February 21, 2015: Volume 17, Number 08
February 14, 2015: Volume 17, Number 07
February 7, 2015: Volume 17, Number 06
January 31, 2015: Volume 17, Number 05
January 24, 2015: Volume 17, Number 04
January 17, 2015: Volume 17, Number 03
January 10, 2015: Volume 17, Number 02
January 3, 2015: Volume 17, Number 01
December 27, 2014: Volume 16, Number 52
December 20, 2014: Volume 16, Number 51
December 13, 2014: Volume 16, Number 50
December 6, 2014: Volume 16, Number 49
November 29, 2014: Volume 16, Number 48
November 22, 2014: Volume 16, Number 47
November 15, 2014: Volume 16, Number 46
November 8, 2014: Volume 16, Number 45
November 1, 2014: Volume 16, Number 44
October 25, 2014: Volume 16, Number 43
October 18, 2014: Volume 16, Number 42
October 11, 2014: Volume 16, Number 41
October 4, 2014: Volume 16, Number 40
September 27, 2014: Volume 16, Number 39
September 13, 2014: Volume 16, Number 37
September 6, 2014: Volume 16, Number 36
August 30, 2014: Volume 16, Number 35
August 23, 2014: Volume 16, Number 34
August 16, 2014: Volume 16, Number 33
August 9, 2014: Volume 16, Number 32
August 2, 2014: Volume 16, Number 31
July 26, 2014: Volume 16, Number 30
July 19, 2014: Volume 16, Number 29
July 12, 2014: Volume 16, Number 28
July 5, 2014: Volume 16, Number 27
June 28, 2014: Volume 16, Number 26
June 21, 2014: Volume 16, Number 25
