The Four Hundred

If you're looking for OS/400 Cumulative PTF and group PTF information, try going to the IBM eServer iSeries Support Recommended Fixes Web site. This site displays links to all the latest cumulative and product PTFs for OS/400 V5R2, V5R1, and V4R5, as well as to IBM's Internet PTF Downloads Web site.

According to the Preventative Service Planning (PSP) documents, linked to on the Recommended Fixes site, IBM has released two new cumulative PTF releases for OS/400 V5R2 and V5R1 in 2003. The current cumulative PTF package for OS/400 V5R2 is C3021520, which began shipping on January 27 for the United States and Canada. This package is scheduled to start shipping in IBM's other cumulative PTF distribution centers on February 27. The current cumulative PTF package for OS/400 V5R1 is C3007510, which began shipping in the United States and Canada on January 13 and recently started shipping outside of the North American PTF distribution centers on February 13.

But there's more to the Recommended Fixes site than just current cumulative PTF information. You can also find current group PTF information for all of the products and critical functions that run under OS/400, including Java, Client Access, Domino, TCP/IP, and WebSphere. There's a special area on the page for looking up PTF information by OS/400 release for each function or product. You simply click the radio button designating your OS/400 release, then select the product or function for which you want to view PTF information.

But there is one conspicuous link to product PTF information missing from the Recommended Fixes page. IBM has not added (at press time) an option to view PTF information for the WebSphere Application Server for iSeries 5.0, although you can find PTF information for all iSeries WAS 3.5 and 4.0 Editions. If you want to find WAS 5.0 PTF information, go to the WebSphere Application Server for iSeries: PTFs Web site. This page contains links to current PTF information for all flavors of iSeries WAS, including the new Base and Network Deployment 5.0 Editions.

When you're finished gathering PTF information from the Recommended Fixes page, there's a link on that site to the Internet PTF Downloads Web site. After you've registered for there, you can download PTF groups by known PTF numbers, and the PTFs can be downloaded directly to your AS/400 or sent to an IBM FTP server, where they can be downloaded later and burned to a CD. If the download size exceeds what you can download or FTP, you can request that the PTF groups be sent via media.

Be aware that it could be a little confusing to obtain PTFs on media from the Internet PTF Downloads site. If you want your PTFs delivered on media (usually a CD-ROM), it may be easier to fill out and fax a PTF order form to IBM. The form says that the processing time to receive your PTFs is five to seven business days, but my experience is that the media is usually received in the United States in about a week. The instructions for faxing your order are on the form itself. Unfortunately, the fax number is a toll-free number that won't work in countries outside of the United States.

You can also mail the order form to IBM at the address listed on the iSeries and AS/400 Technical Support--PTF Ordering Web site. There are also fee-based options to order PTFs on media via the Internet or telephone on the PTF ordering page.

Whatever method you use to investigate and acquire PTFs, knowledge is power in ordering PTFs, and the Web sites listed in this article will help you get that knowledge.