On Wed, 26 Jan 1994 18:24:58 EST, Leonard Boyle <SNOLEN AT VM.SAS DOT COM>, 
wrote:

>I am confused by the following apar. It is marked CLOSED PER but
>when one looks at the PTF section, it says no PTF planned.
>Then later in the text, one is told to apply the PTF.

I also was confused when I saw this.  So I opened a PMR to complain.

>
> "* RECOMMENDATION: Apply PTF that resolves this problem,        *
>  *                 when available                               *"
>
>How can one apply something that is not planned to be. Or did
>they mean to say no ptf available which normally implies that
>there is no ptf today, but one will be available some time in the future.

The way ADSM service works is via "level-sets".  When a certain number
of PTFs have accumulated or a HIPER APAR is fixed a new level-set PTF
is created which contains all the PTFs to that point.  This PTF is
basically a new product tape, complete with sample files.  All the files
have new dates so its difficult to tell what has really changed.

A couple of consequences of this "service" philosophy:

  -- no electronic fixes, the PTF is too large to ship electronically,
  -- it costs IBM time and money to create and ship the tapes,
  -- PTFs are not available individually, so if you have a direct hit
     on an APAR you can't get it until the level-set that includes it
     becomes available, whenever that might be,
  -- no way to back off an individual PTF, it's all or nothing, and
  -- no easy way to find out what the current level-set is, btw it's
     0.4_1.4, APAR PN49454.

IMnsHO, this is a big step backwards from the individual PTF, available
electronically, and cumulative PUTs.  I put words to this effect in my
PMR as well.

If you don't like this sytem, open a PMR and let them know.

Have fun,
Carl Forde                            phonenet: 604-389-3234
VM Systems Software Group             bitnet  : CFORDE at BCSC02
British Columbia Systems Corporation  internet: cforde AT bcsc02.gov.bc DOT ca