Determining which interface to use
The system offers you many ways to connect to and communicate with the systems in your IBM® i environment, and different methods exist to perform the tasks related to managing your fixes. To perform these tasks, you need to know whether it is best to use the character-based interface or System i® Navigator.
If the communications protocol that you are using is Systems Network Architecture (SNA), you probably are already using the IBM System Manager for i 5770-SM1 licensed program or you are performing your fix management tasks with the IBM i commands and menus available. If TCP/IP is the communications protocol that you use, you may discover that System i Navigator, the graphical user interface, is the way for you to manage and administer your systems.
Refer to the following table for more information about determining which interface to use for a particular task.
| Task | Character-based interface | Management Central function |
|---|---|---|
| Order fixes and fix groups 1 | Yes, Send PTF Order (SNDPTFORD) command. | Not available. |
| Create fixes | Not available.2 | Yes, with the generate fix function. |
| Install fixes from media | Yes, GO PTF option 8 or Install PTF (INSPTF) command, which allows you to install cumulative PTF packages and single fixes. If you need to distribute your fixes, use the Change Service Attributes (CHGSRVA) command to change the Copy PTFs service attribute to *YES. | Yes, with the Copy from media function and then the install action. |
| Install fixes received as save files | Yes, GO PTF option 8 or Install PTF (INSPTF) command. Specify *SERVICE for the device name. | Yes, as part of the send, install, and send and install actions for selected fixes or for fix group fixes. 3 |
| Display fix status | Yes, Display PTF (DSPPTF) command. | Yes, view the inventory and view the Status page of the Fix Properties. |
| Remove or uninstall fixes | Yes, Remove PTF (RMVPTF) command. | Yes, as part of the uninstall action. |
| Distribute fixes4 | No | Yes, with the Compare and Update wizard or send and install action.3 |
| Compare and update fixes | No | Yes, with the Compare and Update wizard or send and install action.3 |
| Manage fix groups5 | Yes, Work PTF Group (WRKPTFGRP) command allows you to list, display, and delete fix groups. | Yes, with the Compare and Update wizard, and from the Fixes inventory or with the send, install, and send and install actions. However, you cannot delete fix groups from System i Navigator.3 |
| Load and apply PTFs | Yes, Load PTF (LODPTF) command and Apply PTF (APYPTF) command. | Yes, with the install action. The install fixes action performs a load and apply.3 |
| Create custom package | Yes, Copy PTF (CPYPTF) and Copy PTF Group (CPYPTFGRP) commands. | Not available. |
| Display cover letters | Yes, Display PTF Cover Letter (DSPPTFCVR) command and Display PTF (DSPPTF) command. | Yes, from the Properties page, or select a fix with a cover letter from the fixes inventory, right-click, and select Cover Letter. |
| Compare and update fixes | Not available. | Yes, with the Compare and Update wizard.3 |
| Clean up save files and cover letters | Yes, Delete PTF (DLTPTF) command. | Yes, as part of the cleanup action. |
| 1In addition to ordering fixes with the SNDPTFORD command, you can also order fixes from the Internet, by voice, or through electronic customer support. 2The IBM System Manager for i licensed program allows you to create fixes for your own products. You can also use the Software Product APIs to create fixes. 3When the source system that you are using with the Management Central function has selected the cumulative PTF package fix group, the source system prevents you from attempting certain operations. These Management Central operations include sending fixes, sending and installing fixes, and installing fixes. The source system issues message CPDB7CB. The operation fails. 4The IBM System Manager for i licensed program also distributes fixes to other systems in your network. 5Many of these tasks can also be done using the Software Product APIs. |
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To read about fix status descriptions, see these topics:
- System i Navigator fix status descriptions
- System i Navigator provides a fix management function through Management Central. View the fix status descriptions as well as a comparison between the System i Navigator descriptions and the DSPPTF command status descriptions.
- Command interface fix status descriptions
- View the fix status descriptions that are shown by the DSPPTF commands.