Later in the article, we will go through the creation and installation process, but first, we’ll go over more detail to help you determine if Central Site Distribution is right for you. There are many benefits to using Central Site Distribution media over the IBM supplied install media. The main benefit is that your DSLO install time is usually much faster than the standard media install. The largest amount of saved time is due to the fact that DSLO media already contains the PTFs (program temporary fixes) from the source system. Whereas with a standard install, after the licensed programs are installed, the cumulative and group PTFs need to be loaded and at least one IPL is required to apply the PTFs. Depending on your system and the PTF groups needed, the standard PTF install process can add an additional one-to-four hours to your install. This additional time is saved when using DSLO media. Another contributing factor to faster installs is the fact that the read rates of tape media are generally much faster than the read rates of optical media. The average configuration for an Ultrium drive is more than 10 times faster than the average configuration for an optical drive! Also, if you're using current tape media or virtual volumes, then most likely your entire Central Site Distribution media will be contained on a single volume. A single volume will save some time from switching volumes and answering messages, but it also brings us to the second major benefit: less operator intervention. Of course, the less an operator needs to intervene, the better. DSLO media requires less operator intervention during the install because there is no switching of media, no additional PTFs to install, and the software agreements are already accepted. The last of the major benefits of using Central Site Distribution media is that you can be assured that the licensed programs and their PTFs will be an exact match on the target systems.

Disadvantages of Using DSLO Media

Before you send out an office memo that all future installs will be from Central Site Distribution media, you need to understand some considerations when preparing the DSLO media. The biggest downside to Central Site Distribution media is that the source system needs to be in a restricted state during its creation. If you are lucky enough to have a development box or a skinny partition, then this may not be an issue for you at all. Before creating your DSLO media, there are several PTFs that should be applied in order for the install to run smoothly, which we'll cover later in this article. Another important point is that the Licensed Internal Code PTFs (MFxxxxx) must be permanently applied for them to be valid on your DSLO media. Some people like to permanently apply all of the PTFs on their system before creating their DSLO media. You can permanently apply all of your Licensed Internal Code PTFs with the following command:

For V6R1:
APYPTF LICPGM(5761999) APY(*PERM) DELAYED(*YES)

For V5R1 – V5R4:
APYPTF LICPGM(5722999) APY(*PERM) DELAYED(*YES)

One frustrating factor with DSLO media is that any time a new or superseded PTF is needed, the PTF(s) need to be applied on the source system and a new version of the DSLO media needs to be created. This is why licensed program and PTF planning is very important. There are still many PTFs being developed and updated for Central Site Distribution because this process hasn’t really been heavily used even though it has been available for several years. It has only been in the last couple of years that I have started recommending DSLO installs for those who could really use it. Since there have not been too many users of Central Site Distribution, there is not much in terms of documentation, benchmarks, and support knowledge. The main form of documentation is the IBM “Distributing software” guide section “Distributing software using Central Site Distribution” and the IBM Information Center website http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/iseries. The Distributing software guide gives good information, but the older Central Site Distribution guide (SC41-5308) shows some convenient screenshots of the creation of custom installation profiles.

Another consideration for using Central Site Distribution media is to ensure that the target system installation device is compatible with the media. If you are performing an upgrade, this isn’t too much of a problem since you can use virtual media as long as the target system has enough disk space. If there is not enough disk space, you can still create DSLO media onto optical media if your tape devices are not compatible.

Finally, Central Site Distribution does not currently have the built-in functionality to automatically support the installation/upgrade of secondary languages. If you have secondary languages, I’ll explain how these can still be automatically installed with just a few extra steps when preparing your creation media on the source system.

Preparation

Like many other tasks, preparation is very important when creating your Central Site Distribution media. For creating your media, all of your preparation is performed on the source system. Of course you will want to follow IBM’s “Distributing software” guide and the Central Site Distribution link in the IBM InfoCenter: http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v6r1m0/topic/rzai4/rzai.... Here are the main steps for preparation:

Licensed Program Products
Part of the DSLO creation process is to save the licensed programs (SAVLICPGM). Of course, it can only save the licensed programs that are currently on the source system. This means that you will need to determine what licensed programs are needed on the target system(s) and ensure that all of the needed licensed programs are installed on the source system. If you are upgrading multiple systems, the default is not to install any additional licensed programs that are missing and to only upgrade the existing licensed programs. On the source system, it is also a good idea to run a CHKPRDOPT against all of the licensed programs to verify that they are installed correctly before creating your distribution media.

PTFs
Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs) are code updates that are a part of the actual code. This means that the PTFs are saved with the objects when the DSLO media is created. You will want to make sure that you have installed the latest cume, group, and individual PTFs for all of the products on your source system. Also, since the target system will be on the A side while installing or upgrading, you need to make sure that the licensed internal code PTFs (57xx999) are permanently applied on the source system before creating your Central Site Distribution media. If the licensed internal code PTFs are not permanently applied, then the updated code cannot be utilized, which may be needed to properly perform the actual install. For a list of recommended Central Site Distribution PTFs, see IBM Knowledgebase document KB491991074. At the time this article was written, this document only listed the PTFs for the currently supported releases of V5R4 and V6R1.

QLPUSER Program
In order to allow for additional customized installation steps, IBM allows for users to create a program that will run automatically after the licensed program products install. This program must be called QLPUSER and must reside in the QGPL library before the DSLO media is created. The QLPUSER program can be used to run any customized actions but will only run after the licensed programs are installed successfully. These customized actions could include such things as installing third party applications (or any licensed program not found on the GO LICPGM option 10), installing secondary languages (See IBM Knowledgebase document KB525007416), or for any other desired actions. The build of the QLPUSER program is very specific (such as only having the initial two parameters of only &DEVICE and &SUCCESS), so make sure that you follow the correct format explained in the IBM Information Center: http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v6r1m0/index.jsp?topic=...

Installation Profiles
Installation profiles are used for automatic installation using Central Site Distribution media. These profiles contain pre-defined values for upgrade and installation options. IBM pre-creates four default installation profiles.

• QCHGPRILNG Change primary language
• QIBMRPLRLS IBM replace current release
• QINSNEWSYS Install new system
• QRPLRELLVL Replace current release

QCHGPRILNG is a preconfigured installation profile for the purpose of changing the primary language on an existing system.

QIBMRPLRLS is the most common profile used to perform an upgrade of a target system to a higher OS release. The default is to upgrade the Licensed Internal Code, Operating system, and any licensed programs that need to be upgraded.

QINSNEWSYS is the default profile used to install a new target system.

QRPLRELLVL is used to perform an upgrade of a target system to a higher OS release. Unlike the QIBMRPLRLS installation profile, the default for QRPLRELLVL is to upgrade/reinstall the Licensed Internal Code, Operating system, and ALL licensed programs, even the ones that are already compatible with the new release.

If you prefer to use different install options during an automatic upgrade, IBM provides an easy way for you to create your own customized installation profiles. The following will give you step by step screenshots for creating a customized installation profile and will explain the different options.

In Figure 1, the installation profiles are located under GO LICPGM option 41, Work with installation profiles.

In Figure 2, to create your own customized installation profile, On the ‘Work with installation profiles’, place a 1 on the Opt field and the name of the new profile under the Installation Profile field.

In Figure 3, the ‘Create Profile Details’ screen is where you determine the install type.

1=Replace current release with new release
2=Install new system
3=Change primary language using media
containing secondary language

In Figure 4, on the ‘Create Operating System Installing Options’ screen:

1=Restore programs and language objects
from distribution media
2=Do not restore programs or language
objects
3=Restore only language objects from
distribution media

Option 1 is typically for a new install, reinstall, or upgrade of the OS release. Option 2 doesn’t restore the program or language objects. This option can be used to perform an abbreviated installation of the operating system which will recreate damaged libraries or objects (but they will be empty) and recreate the system entry-point table. Option 3 is used to only change or reinstall the primary language of the system.

This screen also gives you the option to clear job and output queues on the target system.

In Figure 5, you can choose the following values for each option on the ‘Change restore Options’ screen:

1=Restore from Central Site Distribution media
2=Do not restore from Central Site Distribution media
3=If the objects or values already exist on the target system, then nothing is restored from media. If the objects or values do not exist, then they will be restored from the Central Site Distribution media.

• System Information: Includes system values and system management objects, such as access paths
• Edit descriptions: *EDTD type objects
• Message reply list: Inquiry Messages in WRKRPYLE used for the system to give a specified reply
• Job Description: *JOBD objects used by profiles for specific job related attributes.
• Subsystem description: Defines subsystem operational attributes including workstation and routing entries

On the screenshot, I decided to keep the system information and edit descriptions on the target system being upgraded. However, if these objects don’t exist, then they will be restored from the source system’s DSLO media. As far as the reply list entries, they are forced to be restored from the DSLO media whether it be adding new entries or replacing the existing entries on the target system. Lastly, the job descriptions and subsystem descriptions will not be restored from tape even if they don’t already exist on the target system.

In Figure 6, the next screen is the ‘Create Major System Options’ screen. The Enable automatic configuration option lets you decide whether or not to automatically create descriptions for any new resources that the system finds (such as TAP01 for a tape device). Device configuration naming and Default special environment will typically remain as *SAME unless changing to or from System 36 environment during the install.

In Figure 7, the ‘Change Licensed Program Options’ screen allows some controls on how to install/upgrade the licensed programs.

• Install Option has four possible values:
  1=Installed products
  2=All products
  3=New products
  4=Target system default (If licensed programs other than QGPL, QUSRSYS, 57xxSS1 option 1, or 57xxSS1 option 3 exist, then they will be upgraded. Otherwise, if there are additional licensed programs, then the new licensed programs from media will be installed.
• Installation device: *ALTIPL value is the alternate installation/restart device and it is the most common value.
• Replace if current: The system will compare the release of the licensed program on the target system with the release of the licensed program on tape. If the value is set to ‘N’, then the licensed program will only be installed if release on the media is higher than the release on the system. If the value is set to ‘Y’, then the licensed program will be installed from media even if it is at the current level.
• Automatic IPL determines if the system is automatically IPLed after the licensed programs are installed.

In Figure 8, after you press enter on the ‘Create Licensed Program Options’, the system should take you back to the ‘Work with Installation Profiles menu and the bottom of the screen should have the following message: “Installation profile xxxxx created”.

Create Central Site Distribution Media

Now that you are familiar with the installation profiles, we will go over the steps used to create the Central Site Distribution media. The first steps involve the preparation listed above. This includes the installation of the proper licensed programs and PTFs (57xx999 PTFs need to be permanently applied to be valid during the target system’s installation/upgrade of the Licensed Internal Code), creating your QLPUSER program, and creating or choosing your installation profile. In order to create the distribution media, you must be signed onto the console and should be signed in as QSECOFR. Usually you will go through all of the steps in creating the Central Site Distribution media. However, if you want to skip any steps or save commands, then you can press F12 on that step to cancel and then continue with the next step. If you are using a tape library device instead of a single tape drive, then be sure to list the volume id for all of the steps requiring a volume. Alternatively, you could mount a tape with a CHKTAP or DSPTAP command and then issue a SETTAPCGY with an OPTION(*MOUNTED) so that you don’t have to keep entering the volume id.

Here are the step-by-step instructions for creating your Central Site Distribution media:

1. As shown in Figure 9, type GO LICPGM, and press enter. Select option 40. Create distribution media.
2. As shown in Figure 10, the ‘Create a Distribution Media’ screen tells you the steps this option will perform, the things it will not do, and lists some extra considerations.
3. As shown in Figure 11, on the ‘Specify Command Defaults’ screen, you will enter your Device (such as TAP01), tell the system whether or not to check for active files on the media before overwriting, and if messages should break to the screen or just write to the message queue to and notify you of a message.
4. As shown in Figure 12, whether you plan to go through all of the steps or not, in order to create Central Site Distribution media, the system needs to be in a restricted state. Therefore, you must press enter on the End Subsystems (ENDSBS) screen. This step cannot be skipped.
5. As shown in Figure 13 and Figure 14, after the system ends to a restricted state, you will be able to select your installation profile. By prompting with the F4 key, you will get a list of the available installation profiles. Place a ‘1’ next to your desired installation profile and press enter to get back to the ‘Specify Installation Profile’ screen and then press enter again to continue to the first save command.
6. As showing in Figure 15, the first save of a full DSLO media creation is the SAVSYS. The SAVSYS consists of the Licensed Internal Code, the base Operating System, User Profiles, and Configuration objects. The following screenshot shows the defaults of the SAVSYS when creating DSLO media. If you are using a tape media library and you did not first issue a SETTAPCGY *MOUNTED, then you must specify the volume id on the VOL parameter.
7. As shown in Figure 16, after the SAVSYS, the next save command is a SAVLIB of library QGPL. Although QGPL is considered a licensed program, all of its components are contained in its single library. For this reason, a simple SAVLIB is performed.
8. As shown in Figure 17, QUSRSYS is similar to QGPL. It is considered a licensed program, but everything is contained in the QUSRSYS library. Again, a SAVLIB command is performed to save this type of licensed program.
9. As shown in Figure 18, the ‘Save Licensed Programs’ screen is where you get to select which licensed programs are to be included on your Central Site Distribution media. These are selected by placing a ‘1’ next to the licensed programs to be included. Any licensed programs that do not show up in your GO LICPGM option 11 menu will not show up as an option to be selected. If you have any licensed programs that are not on this screen, you can separately save those additional licensed programs afterwards using the SAVLICPGM command and including a RSTLICPGM step in the QLPUSER program. 10) As shown in Figure 19, on the ‘Save Options’ screen, you select your device, sequence number on the tape, End of media option, if the media should be cleared, and if license acceptance is required on the target system. Unless you skipped the other save commands, then the sequence number will be *END to write after the last saved item. If you don’t have any other licensed programs to install, then the End of media option can be left at *REWIND or set to *UNLOAD. If you plan to include additional licensed programs to manually install or by using the QLPUSER program, then set the End of media option to *LEAVE. The CLEAR parameter determines if and how the media should be cleared (writes 0’s). However, if you plan on clearing the media, then it is usually suggested that this be performed when you first initialized the media. The Licensed acceptance required determines whether or not the software agreements will need to be accepted on the target system. If set to *YES, then the software agreement acceptance is not saved and they will need to be displayed and accepted on the target system. If *NO is set for the license acceptance required, then the software agreement acceptance is saved and restored to the target system when the licensed programs are restored. 11) As shown in Figure 20, after you press enter on the ‘Save Options’ screen, the system will perform a SAVLICPGM of the licensed programs. This will most likely be the longest save portion of the DSLO media creation process. During the save of the licensed programs, the system will list the licensed program and option being saved at the time. If it is a large licensed program, then it will even list the number of objects saved so far out of the total number of objects for that licensed program.
10. As shown in Figure 21, after the licensed programs have been saved, then the system will display the ‘Start Subsystem (STRSBS)’ screen where you can press enter to bring the system back up or you can F12 to cancel this command to keep the system in a restricted state.
11. As shown in Figure 22, after your Central Site Distribution media has been created, you will be brought back to the ‘Work with Licensed Programs’ menu and at the bottom of the screen, you should see the following message: “Save or restore operation completed successfully.”

After a successful completion, it is a good idea to verify the joblog and also the media. With the joblog, make sure that there are not any error messages and that all of the parts were saved correctly. To verify the media, mount the volume and display it. This will verify that it is readable and you can also get a printout of its contents. For example, if you are using tape, issue a DSPTAP to OUTPUT(*PRINT). If you have the luxury of a test system, then definitely test your Central Site Distribution media. DSLO is synonymous with the two clichés of “practice makes perfect” and “time is money”.

Now that the distribution secrets have been revealed, you can venture into the realms of alternative installation to unlock its powers.

Brian Bohner has been a software engineer for the IBM Rochester System i Support Center since 2001. He is a senior member of the Save/Restore, BRMS, Fixes, and Work Management teams. His expertise includes upgrades, backups, recoveries, PTFs, BRMS, and virtual media.