How Current Are Your PTF Groups? Find Out Using SQL
IBM i continues to deliver SQL interfaces to simplify our work and keep our technology current.
Example: We recently needed to test an issue with Apache HTTP Server for i for a support client. IBM Support requested that we check for the latest HTTP PTF Group on our server. (PTF Groups are the names given to logically related fixes, such as those related to HTTP.) To find out if we had the most current group, we used the SYSTOOLS.GROUP_PTF_CURRENCY SQL view.
The results said our HTTP PTF Group had an “UPDATE AVAILABLE.” After installing the PTF Group, we ran the query again and saw “INSTALLED LEVEL IS CURRENT” for HTTP.
Here is the query we ran and the results after we installed the PTF Group:
select * from systools.group_ptf_currency order by ptf_group_currency;
Sample results from querying the group_ptf_currency SQL view
For more information on checking your PTF Group status using group_ptf_currency, see the resources below.
Documentation on usage:
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=services-group-ptf-currency-view
Troubleshooting and tips:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/systoolsgroupptfcurrency
Information on the types of PTFs, including Group PTFs:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ptfs-faqs-question-and-answers
Here are a couple of scripts I have used over the years to see if the PTFs on the system are up-to-date or not. It compares what is on the system vs what IBM shows as the most current level.
SELECT * FROM SYSTOOLS.GROUP_PTF_CURRENCY ORDER BY ptf_group_level_available – ptf_group_level_installed DESC ;
With iLevel(iVersion, iRelease) AS
(select OS_VERSION, OS_RELEASE from sysibmadm.env_sys_info)
SELECT P.* FROM iLevel, systools.group_ptf_currency P
WHERE ptf_group_release =
‘R’ CONCAT iVersion CONCAT iRelease concat ‘0’
ORDER BY ptf_group_level_available – ptf_group_level_installed DESC;