Tips for prioritizing Gen mainframe PTFs
Ideally, every customer will install every PTF when available. This keeps your Gen™ system up to date with small changes that have a clear scope of impact. However, we understand that not all customers have automation to support this high level of change frequency. In that case, you may need to prioritize which PTFs you install. This blog will help you set those priorities.
Background — Impact of Continuous Delivery
Users of Gen™ are glad that Broadcom’s Continuous Delivery model means changes are delivered in small Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs) rather than large releases. They are also glad to see Broadcom investing in Gen, with enhancements like REST API enablement and Passphrase support in Client Manager.
However, customers shifting to a continuous adoption protocol do have some barriers to overcome. Managing the constant changes can become a confusing mess! Gen users are asking questions like:
- “How do I know what PTFs are already installed?”
- “What defects and enhancements are available?”
- “Do I have any exposure for hipers or security integrity?”
To help, Broadcom is providing capabilities through Mainframe Essentials at no additional charge. Mainframe Essentials simplifies the management of product installs, maintenance, and Common Components and Services.
Software Risk Assessment
One feature within Mainframe Essentials that I highly recommend is a Software Risk Assessment. It will show you a list of Gen’s mainframe PTFs, with helpful information, like:
- Which PTFs you have and have not received.
- An assigned “Risk” level for each PTF.
- Which PTFs are defect fixes versus a feature enhancement.
- When the PTF was published and when it was applied.
Prioritizing PTF installations
Here are things to consider when prioritizing your PTFs:
1. Anything improving security should be top priority.
- Tip: With the “Select” line command, you are able to read the problem description.
- When security maintenance is published, it is accompanied by a security advisory. Learn more about security advisories and email alerts HERE.
2. HIPERs are your next priority.
- Tip: Scroll right to see SYSMOD attributes like: HIPER, SECINT, PE, PRP. This will help you understand the reason for the risk level. Here are VIDEOS to learn more.
- HIPER is an acronym for High Impact and/or Pervasive software problem.
3. Applying defect fixes ensures you don’t run into barriers or waste time seeking support for resolved issues.
Conclusion
Continuous Delivery has enabled Gen users to take advantage of new value sooner. The smaller deliverables of a PTF are less risky than large releases. However, this constant rate of change comes with some extra overhead. If you don’t have automation to cover the extra testing and change management, you may need to prioritize your PTF installations. The Software Risk Assessment helps you make those decisions with confidence. Here are some resources to help you get started:
- Getting Started document, including Software Risk Assessment.
- Video with more info about PTF Analysis capabilities.
