This section contains the following topics:
Implement a Proactive Preventive Maintenance Strategy
Interfaces and Integration Points
CA Technologies formerly delivered product maintenance using Service Packs. We have replaced this model with CA Recommended Service (CA RS) for z/OS, which provides more flexibility and granular application intervals. CA RS is patterned after the IBM preventive maintenance model, Recommended Service Upgrade (RSU). With CA RS, you can install preventive maintenance for most CA Technologies z/OS-based products in a consistent way on a schedule that you select (for example, monthly, quarterly, annually).
CA Technologies periodically releases Service Updates. A Service Update is a product installation file and all PTFs preapplied up to the last CA RS level.
We recommend that you develop and implement a proactive preventive maintenance strategy whereby you regularly apply maintenance. You could follow the same schedule that you use to apply IBM maintenance, or you could implement a schedule for CA Technologies products only.
Business Value:
Keeping your products current with maintenance helps your team remain productive and minimize errors while safely protecting your systems. If you do not install preventive maintenance regularly, you risk encountering known problems for which we have published and tested fixes.
Our mainframe maintenance philosophy is predicated upon granting you the flexibility to maintain your sites and systems consistent with industry best practices and site-specific requirements. Our philosophy focuses on two maintenance types. Understanding each type can help you maintain your systems in the most efficient manner.
Note: This philosophy applies to the CA Chorus Software Manager Enabled Products. For legacy products, contact CA Support for maintenance details.
Helps you address a specific and immediate issue. This type of maintenance is necessary after you encounter a problem. We may provide a test APAR when a new problem is uncovered, and a confirmed PTF when the problem has been resolved. Your primary goal is to return your system to the same functional state that it was before you experienced the issue. This type of maintenance is applied on an as-needed basis.
Lets you bring your system up to a more current level. Doing so helps you avoid problems that others have reported. This maintenance may also contain compatibility fixes for hardware and software. You may have experienced the issues that each PTF addresses. CA RS provides a way to identify all published maintenance that has been successfully integration-tested. This maintenance has been tested with other CA Technologies products, current z/OS releases, and IBM subsystems, such as CICS and DB2. CA RS levels are published monthly that include PTFs, HIPERs and PRPs (PE-resolving PTFs). Before you download, apply, and test a new CA RS level, we recommend that you accept the previous CA RS level.
You can initiate a maintenance installation activity at any time. You can then install the current CA RS level of maintenance (recommended) or an earlier level. Additionally, you can install maintenance to support a new hardware device, software upgrade, or function using the FIXCAT method.
For all maintenance, before you initiate any maintenance action, obtain the current SMP/E HOLDDATA.
Important! CA Chorus™ Software Manager (CA CSM) - formerly known as CA Mainframe Software Manager™ (CA MSM) - is an intuitive web-based tool that can automate and simplify many CA Technologies product installation and maintenance activities. We strongly recommend that you use CA CSM to maintain your CA Technologies z/OS-based products.
More Information:
To apply preventive maintenance using CA CSM or from CA Support Online on http://ca.com/support, see the Installation Guide for your product and the CA CSM online help.
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