Downloading HOLDDATA and ++ASSIGN statements

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07 December 2023

30 March 2020

ERROR HOLDDATA and ++ASSIGN buckets are provided to aid in identifying critical maintenance that should be applied to your Broadcom mainframe products.

Downloading ERROR HOLDDATA

The HOLDDATA file contains cumulative enhanced ERROR HOLDDATA for all mainframe products. We recommend that you obtain this HOLDDATA file before installing new product FMIDs or applying maintenance to ensure you have received any new or updated HOLDDATA. To download, go to: https://ftp.broadcom.com/secureuser/downloads/pub/HoldData/.

File Type File Content Plain Text Packed Format
Monthly Last 30 days MONTHLY-HOLDDATA.TXT MONTH.BIN
Quarterly Last 90 days QUARTER-HOLDDATA.TXT QUARTER.BIN
Yearly Last 365 days YEARLY-HOLDDATA.TXT YEAR.BIN
Complete Over 365 days ALL-HOLDDATA.TXT COMPLETE.BIN

 

To download Packed file using a web browser:

  • Click on the name in the Pack Format column.
  • Choose the 'Save Target As' to save this file to your PC. This command may vary depending on the browser you are using.
  • FTP the saved file to the mainframe as a fixed file with an RECFM=FB and LRECL=1024.
    After files has been transferred to the mainframe, the file needs to be untersed using the following sample JCL:

    //UNTERSE EXEC PGM=TRSMAIN,PARM='UNPACK' //SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=* //INFILE   DD DISP=SHR,DSN=your.dataset.name //OUTFILE DD DSN=your.output.dataset.name, //             UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(5,1),RLSE), //             DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE)  NOTE: The OUTFILE should be not pre-allocated.
    

To FTP the TEXT or PACKED file directly to the mainframe:

  1. Replace * TCPIP dataset * with your TCPIP dataset name.
  2. Replace * email address * with your valid email address.
  3. Replace * PTFHOLD dsn * with a valid z/OS data set name. The data set will be created ifit does not already exist.
  4. Update 'GET' with the file name that you are downloading.
  5. To FTP a binary file, change asc to bin and LR=80 to LR-1024.
    //FTPSTEP  EXEC PGM=FTP,PARM='(EXIT=08'
    //SYSPRINT DD   SYSOUT=*
    //OUTPUT   DD   SYSOUT=*
    //INPUT    DD *
    ftp.broadcom.com 21
    anonymous
    * email address *
    cd /pub/HoldData/
    dir
    asc
    locsite LR=80 REC=FB BLOCKSI=0
    locsite PRI=20 SEC=10 CY
    get MONTHLY-HOLDDATA.TXT '* PTFHOLD dsn *' (REPLACE
    quit
    

Using HOLDATA:

  • Update your SMP/E RECEIVE step to include the following DD statement in your JCL:

    //SMPHOLD DD DSN=*PTFHOLD dsn*,DISP=SHR
    
  • Run the SMP/E REPORT ERRSYSMODS command to identify any missing HIPER or Resolving PE PTF fixes:

    REPORT ERRSYSMODS(* enter target zone name *).
    

Note: The HOLDDATA bucket contains FIXCAT type ++HOLDS. To receive FIXCAT HOLDs, you need to execute the SMP/E UPGRADE command if you are running SMP/E V3.5. If you are running prior releases of SMP/E, you need to apply the appropriate IBM toleration PTFs to prevent error messages from being issued due to these holds. Please refer to IBM APAR IO07480 for details.

Downloading ++ASSIGN Statements

Broadcom recommends that you RECEIVE the HIPER assign statements into your global zone prior to applying maintenance. This will ensure that any critical service will be applied. The ++ASSIGN directory can be found under the following link: ++ASSIGN Bucket. To download, go to: https://ftp.broadcom.com/secureuser/downloads/pub/ASSIGNS/.

File Content Download File Name
CARS ASSIGNS CARS ++ASSIGN CARyymm.TXT
Daily HIPER ASSIGNS HIPER DAILY-HIPER-SRCID.TXT

 

For more details on CARS, refer to the Broadcom Recommended Service (CARS) page.

To download a file using a web browser:

  • Click on the name in the Download column.

  • Choose the 'Save Target As' to save this file to your PC. This command may vary depending on the browser you are using.

  • FTP the saved file to the mainframe as a fixed file with an LRECL of 80.

To FTP the file directly to the mainframe:

  • Update and execute the following JCL.

    • Replace * email address * with your valid email address.

    • Replace * SMPPTFIN dsn * with a valid z/OS data set name. The data set will be created if it does not already exist.

    • Update 'GET' with the file name that you are downloading.

      //FTPSTEP EXEC PGM=FTP,PARM='(EXIT=08'
      //SYSTCPD DD DSN=VTAM.TCPIP.TCPIP.DATA,DISP=SHR
      //SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
      //OUTPUT DD SYSOUT=*
      //INPUT DD *
      ftp.broadcom.com 21
      anonymous
      * email address *
      cd /pub/ASSIGNS/
      dir
      asc
      locsite LR=80 REC=FB BLOCKSI=0
      locsite PRI=20 SEC=10 CY
      get filename.TXT '* SMPPTFIN dsn *' (REPLACE
      quit
      

In addition, PTFS are assigned SOURCEIDs to help you manage the installation of maintenance at the time they are published. These SOURCEDIDs are included within PTF files. The following SOURCEIDs are assigned:

CAPyymm Identifies that the PTF is part of preventative maintenance where yymm represents year and month that the PTF was created
HIPER Identifies that the PTF resolves a High Impact or Pervasive problem
PRP Identifies that the PTF resolves a PTF in Error
SECINT Indicates that the reason ID SYSMOD identifies a fix for a security or integrity error.
SPE Identifies that the PTF contains a small programming enhancement

 

Receive all PTFs, HOLDDATA, and SOURCEIDs using the following JCL:

 

//RECEIVE EXEC PGM=GIMSMP
//SMPCSI  DD DISP=SHR,DSN=* YOUR CSI *
//SMPHOLD DD DISP=SHR,DSN=* PTFHOLD DATASET *
//SMPPTFIN DD DISP=SHR,DSN=* SOURCEID DATASET *
//         DD DISP=SHR,DSN=* PTFLIB DATASET *
//SMPCNTL DD *
      SET BOUNDARY(GLOBAL).
      RECEIVE SYSMOD HOLDDATA.

 

Using SOURCEIDs to APPLY Maintenance

To ensure that all critical service is applied, add the SOURCEIDs of PRP and HIPER to the APPLY command. APPLY the PTFs using the following sample JCL. Make the appropriate substitutions for the fields designated by '*':

 

//APPLY EXEC PGM=GIMSMP
//SMPCSI DD DISP=SHR,DSN=* YOUR CSI *
//SMPCNTL DD *
      SET BOUNDARY(* YOUR TARGET ZONE *).
      APPLY SOURCEID(HIPER,PRP)
      GROUPEXTEND
      BYPASS(HOLDSYSTEM).

 

Using Enhanced HOLDDATA during FMID Installation

Enhanced HOLDDATA now provides support for ERROR holds against product FMIDs for HIPERs. This enables customers to easily check that all PE and HIPER recommended service is applied when the FMIDs are being installed.

After executing an APPLY CHECK, you can review the output for any outstanding ERRORs. The SMP/E CAUSER report will clearly indicate any unresolved ERRORs. For example, the following CAUSER report indicates two unresolved HOLDS for CPLAH00:

 

CAUSER   FMID     MESSAGE ID  PAGE   ERROR DESCRIPTION AND POSSIBLE CAUSES 

 CPLAH00  CPLAH00  GIM35901I     49   ERROR HOLD ZLAM043 WAS NOT RESOLVED.
                   GIM35901I     49   ERROR HOLD ZLAM044 WAS NOT RESOLVED.

 

The following steps should be used to complete an FMID installation:

  1. Download and RECEIVE all PTF maintenance.

  2. Rerun the APPLY CHECK. If there are unresolved ERRORS, Broadcom recommends that you make note of these errors and verify resolving PTFs are applied prior to implementing products in production.

  3. Use the following JCL to APPLY FMIDS and PRPs:

    APPLY
    GROUPEXTEND
    SELECT  (FMID1, FMID2)
    BYPASS(HOLDSYSTEM,HOLDERROR(Reason Id).
    

    where Reason Id is a list of the unresolved hold error IDs as reported by the CAUSER report from the APPLY CHECK.