IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 20, Number 2
January 17, 2018 Doug Bidwell
Spectre and Meltdown. Just the names are scary, and kind of remind you of a James Bond thriller! From an IBM i perspective, we should be ready, but hold on just a little bit longer until the story plays out. There is a licensed internal code, or LIC, PTF out for each of the release:
These can be ordered individually, but are not as yet included in either the HIPER or Security PTF Groups. (That seems strange!)
In the cover letters for the LIC PTFs, it states that they can be put on with an IPL, but do not completely mitigate the issue(s) until the Power Systems firmware is patched as well. And then things get even more strange. There is a firmware patch for Power8 and Power7+ systems, but as firmware, not as we in IBM i Land would expect, in the form of an “MH” PTF. Those can require a disruptive install, meaning an IPL.
Our take on this is that research as to the overall impact of these anomalies is still being done, and, since an IPL is a non-trivial business impact in most cases these days, we are advocating patience for another week to see if we can get everything in one IPL. So, we know an IPL is going to be required and we can plan for it, but not download anything as yet. The firmware patch is available and can be reviewed, but the fix itself cannot be downloaded. That is a possible glitch in Fix Central, but, because I can’t get it to come down at this point, it’s one too many strange things at this point. So we are suggesting that everyone wait a week for the rest of the story to come our way. (Be sure to read other articles at IT Jungle for additional details.)
Meanwhile, there are actual HIPERs and Security PTFs in their respective groups that you should be aware of. Neither have anything to do with Spectre or Meltdown, but still worth putting on the system. Drill down through the GUI links to read the actual details.
As usual, we have included an archive of the IBM i PTF Guide to help you work through the PTFs in chronological order, which you can see below:
January 13, 2018: Volume 20, Number 02
January 3, 2018: Volume 20, Number 01
December 30, 2017: Volume 19, Number 52
December 23, 2017: Volume 19, Number 51
December 16, 2017: Volume 19, Number 50
December 9, 2017: Volume 19, Number 49
December 2, 2017: Volume 19, Number 48
November 18, 2017: Volume 19, Number 46
November 11, 2017: Volume 19, Number 45
November 4, 2017: Volume 19, Number 44
October 28, 2017: Volume 19, Number 43
October 21, 2017: Volume 19, Number 42
October 14, 2017: Volume 19, Number 41
October 7, 2017: Volume 19, Number 40
September 30, 2017: Volume 19, Number 39
September 23, 2017: Volume 19, Number 38
September 16, 2017: Volume 19, Number 37
September 9, 2017: Volume 19, Number 36
September 2, 2017: Volume 19, Number 35
August 26, 2017: Volume 19, Number 34
August 19, 2017: Volume 19, Number 33
August 12, 2017: Volume 19, Number 32
August 5, 2017: Volume 19, Number 31
July 29, 2017: Volume 19, Number 30
July 22, 2017: Volume 19, Number 29
July 15, 2017: Volume 19, Number 28
July 1, 2017: Volume 19, Number 26
June 24, 2017: Volume 19, Number 25
June 17, 2017: Volume 19, Number 24
June 10, 2017: Volume 19, Number 23
June 3, 2017: Volume 19, Number 22
May 27, 2017: Volume 19, Number 21
May 20, 2017: Volume 19, Number 20
May 13, 2017: Volume 19, Number 19
May 6, 2017: Volume 19, Number 18
April 29, 2017: Volume 19, Number 17
April 22, 2017: Volume 19, Number 16
April 15, 2017: Volume 19, Number 15
April 8, 2017: Volume 19, Number 14
April 1, 2017: Volume 19, Number 13
March 25, 2017: Volume 19, Number 12
March 18, 2017: Volume 19, Number 11
March 11, 2017: Volume 19, Number 10
March 4, 2017: Volume 19, Number 9
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
Besides a full sys save what else should be backed up before installing these updates