Preparing to upgrade or replace software using an image catalog

When you use an image catalog, you preload all your media so that you do not need to handle the physical media when you perform the installation. You do this by copying the images from the physical optical media or from files received through electronic software delivery to a file in the integrated file system and then use these preloaded images to install. The topic Virtual storage describes further the concepts and uses of virtual tape and virtual optical media. Image catalog for a virtual device describes the requirements for using image catalogs.