Starting and stopping the system
The IBM® i platform is well-known for rarely needing to be stopped or restarted. However, some maintenance items or system changes might require that the system stop processing and go through an initial program load (IPL). Stopping and starting the system must be done carefully.
Note: The procedures for starting and stopping the system
depend on whether you have a partitioned system. The following instructions
are relevant only for a system without logical partitions. If you
have a partitioned system without the Hardware Management Console,
see Restarting
and powering down a system with logical partitions. If you
have a partitioned system with the Hardware Management Console, see Partitioning
with IBM i.
Regardless of how your system environment is configured, starting and stopping the system requires careful planning to prevent data loss and to protect system integrity. The IBM i operating system provides several methods for starting the system to allow for various amounts of interaction with the user.
Note: Several system values determine the available
options for starting and stopping the system.