This book contains information on the FixDist and TapeGen service tools. It includes an overview of the service and procedural information needed to access and use the tools.
FixDist is a user interface used to download software fixes on the Internet. TapeGen is a command line utility enabling you to create a stacked tape containing SMIT installable fixes.
Who Should Use This Book
This book is for the user responsible for receiving and installing software fixes for AIX operating environments.
To help customers browse and download fixes stored at our fix sites, we have released a freely available service tool called FixDist. FixDist is a user interface tool designed to enable customers to select and download a fix and any neccessary requisite fixes. This tool and the anonymous ftp servers are available to customers with Internet ftp access.
A companion service tool called TapeGen is provided with FixDist to enable you to create a stacked tape containing SMIT installable fixes. It is installed into the /usr/bin directory. It is a command line utility that uses the FixDist databases to copy the fixes onto tape. See the"TapeGen"section for more information.
IBM provides a number of mirrored sites on the Internet where you may
freely download AIX related fixes. While not every AIX related fix is
available, we are constantly adding more and more product fixes. These
sites are anonymous ftp servers. Though we do not guarantee all fixes will
be immediately made available, we usually update the servers within 24
hours after the same fix is available from our tape distribution sites.
The current list of anonymous ftp servers available for FixDist
users are:
Canada rwww.aix.can.ibm.com 204.138.188.126
Germany www.ibm.de 192.109.81.2
Japan fixdist.yamato.ibm.co.jp 202.32.4.20
Nordic ftp.nordic.ibm.com 193.12.214.80
United Kingdom ftp.europe.ibm.com 193.129.186.2
United States service.software.ibm.com 198.17.57.66
With FixDist, you can choose to download immediately or configure to download later. It supports both AIX selective fixes as well as AIX Maintenance Packages. Fix requisites are downloaded with your fix. You can also tell FixDist what requisite fixes you do not need.
FixDist enables you to select fixes by APAR number, PTF number or fileset name. Once a fix is selected, the utility attempts to deliver only the necessary fixes to satisfy all requisites. This speeds up delivery of the fix package because any fixes you may have already received are not downloaded. See "How FixDist Determines Requisites" for information on how to use this option.
The following table describes the system requirements for each process.
To obtain FixDist or read the user guide, simply download it via anonymous ftp from any of the servers listed in the "Introduction" section of this book. Many of these sites are also web servers (example URL: http://service.software.ibm.com). From the web pages you can read the user guide.
The FixDist client along with the user guide is located in the anonymous ftp directory /aix/tools/fixdist. Below is an example of downloading and installing the tool and the PostScript user guide.
Note:The following procedures must be performed as "root"
cd /tmp
ftp service.software.ibm.com
> login: anonymous
> password: "email" (example: johndoe@)
>
> bin
> cd /aix/tools/fixdist
> get fd.tar.Z (FixDist tool in compressed tar format)
> get fixdist.ps.Z (User guide in compressed PostScript)
> quit
cd / (change directory to the root)
zcat /tmp/fd.tar.Z |tar -xpvf - (uncompress and untar)
To start up FixDist simply run the command:
fixdist
/usr/bin/fixdist is a script that calls /usr/lpp/fixdist/fixdistm for AIXwindows or CDE desktop users. If you have a dumb terminal fixdist will call /usr/lpp/fixdist/fixdistc.
The FixDist utility is a user interface to an anonymous FTP server that contains software fixes for selected AIX products. These fixes can be selected for immediate download, or they can be specified to download at a later time. FixDist does not "install" any fixes onto your system. It simply transfers the needed fixes to a target directory on your system. When a fix is downloaded, you will receive all requisite fixes automatically.
To start the FixDist utility, enter the following:
fixdist (or fixdist -C if you are not running AIXwindows)
Note: Verify that hardware and software requirements are met (see system requirements).
There are two ways to search for a fix. A toggle button is provided enabling a PTF view or an APAR view. If you are looking for a fix to an APAR then select APAR View. If you are looking for a specific PTF number then select PTF View.
Once you have selected the desired fix, you can download that fix by clicking on the Okay button.
You may be prompted to specify an AIX Maintenance Level. Use the Help button within that window for detailed information on determining which AIX Maintenance Level you should specify.
Package Size Information is then displayed, providing pertinent information on the fixes selected. Clicking Start Download to begin the download process.
You can greatly reduce the size of many fix packages by using an exclusion file. To help you create and maintain an exclusion file, FixDist provides an Exclusion File button. Use this to view, create, append or overwrite an existing exclusion file.
This file can be in virtually any format. FixDist makes two passes through the exclusion file. The first pass looks for matching PTF numbers. The second pass looks for matching fileset names.
FixDist supports other fix types, such as maintenance packages. Periodically, other types of fixes will be available. All fix types, other then Generally Available Fixes, are presented through a set of simple windows.
By selecting one of these fix types, you are presented with a list of available packages to choose from. Unlike Generally Available Fixes, you are not provided a search facility or a method to exclude parts of the package.
After selecting an item, you are presented with package size information. Clicking on Start Download will begin the download process.
Proxy FTP allows you to open a connection to the FixDist server through an intermediate system (proxy FTP server). This function is useful for those network environments that do not allow your AIX system to perform "ftp gets" directly on the Internet.
FxDist supports 2 common types of proxy FTP, Active Proxy and Passive Proxy. Note that the terms Active and Passive are used to more easily delineate between the 2 types FixDist uses.
SOCKS is not supported but we have made modifications to FixDist to
make it somewhat more friendly in such environments. See the question "What
if my RISC System/6000 cannot get to the FixDist server?" in .
In active proxy mode, FixDist will use your UNIX based system that is
directly on the Internet as a gateway. Images will first be ftp'd to
your UNIX based system then ftp'd to your AIX system.
To use active proxy, the UNIX based system needs to have a standard
UNIX login account, password, and enough space in that account's home
directory to download the fix. The user login on your UNIX based system
should be a regular account with read-write permissions to the home
directory of that login.
To ensure that you have enough space available on the proxy server, we
recommend that you have free space equal to the amount that FixDist says
will be needed. In reality, you only need enough space to satisfy the
largest individual fix image that is part of your fix package. Example:
The fix package you select is 10MBs in size and is composed of 7
individual fix images. The largest image is 3.5MBs in size. You will
need no more than 3.5MBs of free space in the home directory on your UNIX
based system because each fix image is removed from the proxy server
immediately after being transferred to your AIX system.
From the menu bar, select Options -> Proxy -> Active. Fill in the three
fields.
If any of these fields are empty, active proxy will not work. FixDist
does not check the validity of these entries.
Note: Because the fix images are effectively being transferred
twice, performance will be affected.
The configuration file used to keep this information is in the file
$HOME/.fixdist_home/.proxyinfo. The password entry is not retained.
In passive proxy mode, FixDist communicates to the IBM FixDist server
by first requesting a proxy server to grant permission to connect to the
Internet. This is done by ftping to the proxy server by giving it a port
number specified by the system administrator of the proxy server. This
enables the client machine to pass through the proxy server. On the
proxy server, the login userid is anonymous@server.domain and the
password is your current login. Once logged in, all commands entered are
being run on the FixDist server not the proxy server.
From the menu bar, select Options -> Proxy -> Passive. Fill in the two
fields.
If any of these fields are empty, passive proxy will not work.
FixDist does not check the validity of these entries.
The configuration file used to keep this information is in the file
$HOME/.fixdist_home/.proxyinfo.
The AIX 3.2 FixDist Database supports fixes for the latest releases
of the following products.
The AIX 4.1 FixDist Database supports fixes for the latest releases of
the following products.
The CAD and CATIA Database supports fixes for the latest releases of the
following products.
The AIX 3.2 fix policy is to deliver the latest package that contains
the fix for an APAR (Authorized Problem Analysis Report). A fix package
is composed of PTFs. A PTF is an installable image that usually replaces
portions of a software product.
PTFs often fix more than just one APAR. As new PTFs are released,
some replace the same portions of a software product. In this way, the
fix is a cumulative fix. The newer fix is said to "supersede" the
previous fix.
FixDist for AIX 3.2 takes this policy a bit further. FixDist delivers
fixes using what is commonly referred to as "preventive supersede". This
is the process of always delivering the latest fix package. The effect
can be seen when you select an APAR that has been fixed for some time or
a PTF that has been superseded. FixDist will tell you that the fix you
have selected has been superseded by a newer fix. FixDist will always
deliver the newest fix.
The AIX 4.1 fix policy is to deliver the original fix for a specified
APAR (Authorized Problem Analysis Report). A fix is composed of one or
more installable images that usually replace portions of a software
product.
The fix package is selectable either by viewing the APAR list or by
viewing the PTF-Fileset list. A fileset fix is the AIX 4.1
representation of a PTF.
The fileset concept is straight forward and quite different from the
way AIX 3.2 fix information is stored.
A fix for TCP/IP's ifconfig (interface configuration command) is a
good example to compare AIX 3.2 and AIX 4.1. In 3.2, a fix for ifconfig
is tracked on the system by PTF number:
In 4.1, the same fix is tracked on the system by fix level:
The level is read Version.Release.Modification.Fix level (VRMF). If
the F is 0, like 4.1.1.0, that fileset has no fixes applied to it. If
the F is 5, like 4.1.1.5, that fileset is at the 5th fix level meaning
only that the fileset has been revised at least 5 times and you have
installed the 5th fix level. When a new Modification is shipped, the Fix
level resets to 0 like 4.1.2.0.
Note that all operating system fixes install as filesets on AIX 4.1.
While the operating system fixes are in fileset format, other IBM and
non-IBM products can be in the old-style 3.2 formats while still other
products may install in simple tar format using their own tracking methods.
The CAD fix policy is to deliver the original fix for a specified
PTF. A fix is composed of one or more installable images that usually
replace portions of a software product.
The fix package is selectable either by viewing the APAR list or by
viewing the PTF list.
The following technical tips and hints provide suggested ways to take
advantage of the functionality of FixDist. Some internal structures are
also examined.
The config file is $HOME/.fixdist_home/.fixdistcfg. This file is a
flat text file. If the $HOME/.fixdist_home directory does not exist, it
is created for you. The directory and the .fixdistcfg file must have
read/write access by the effective user.
The .fixdistcfg file helps FixDist remember: what FixDist server you
use; where it's databases are; whether you wish to download now or later;
and what database was last used.
FixDist is a stateless application in that it does not keep in contact
with the FixDist server. It uses anonymous ftp to get fix images from
the server.
When FixDist is initially started, it is lacking a database. By
clicking on the Database button, it logs into the server via anonymous
ftp and gets the specified database.
After a database is retrieved from the server, FixDist can search the
database and build a list of fixes. When you tell FixDist to start the
download, it initiates a number of anonymous ftp gets to the server to
retrieve the fixes.
FixDist requires the use of a .netrc file. In order to avoid using
the $HOME/.netrc file, the $HOME environment variable is changed to
$HOME/.fixdist_home. This allows FixDist to create and manipulate it's
own .netrc file safely, without the possible loss of the user's normal
.netrc file.
FixDist is made up of a main driver shell script called
/usr/bin/fixdist that calls either the graphical user interface
/usr/lpp/fixdist/fixdistm or the character based user interface
/usr/lpp/fixdist/fixdistc.
The shell script performs initial setup for FixDist by temporarily
resetting your $HOME variable to $HOME/.fixdist_home then determining
whether you have a graphical display ($DISPLAY is set).
There are various help files and other text files. FixDist is hard
coded to look for these files in the /usr/lpp/fixdist directory.
FixDist keeps track of fixes and their requisites by reading a
database that is downloaded to the system that is running FixDist.
The AIX 3.2 database is contained in a compressed tar image called
fd.db.Z (AIX 3.2 FixDist Database). This database is regularly updated
and put on the server in the /aix/fixes/v3/fixdistdb directory.
The AIX 4.1 database is contained in a compressed tar image called
41fd.db.Z (AIX 4.1 FixDist Database). This database is regularly updated
and put on the server in the /aix/fixes/v4/fixdistdb directory.
You should get a copy of the database every time you use FixDist.
Before you begin searching any database, you should check the timestamp
displayed on the main menu to see when was the last time you updated a
database. If the timestamp is older than one day, you need to refresh
the database to ensure you have a current one.
The fix policy for the AIX 3.2 operating system is based on
delivering only the most recent fixes. This policy is commonly referred
to as preventive supersedes.
The result of this policy on FixDist servers is the deletion and
removal of superseded fixes from the database and the deletion of those
superseded fixes from the server.
The fix policy for the AIX 4.1 operating system is more traditional.
Few, if any fixes are superseded in 4.1. This policy will ensure that
any fixes released into the AIX 4.1 database will remain available for an
extended period of time. The AIX 4.1 FixDist Database will continue to
allow the selection and downloading of all fixes for an extended period
of time.
CAD fixes are delivered in much the same way as AIX 4.1 fixes are. The
fix you select is the fix you receive. This is different from the way we
deliver fixes for AIX 3.2 which is to deliver the latest superseding fix to
you.
This policy will ensure that any fixes released into the CAD database
will remain available for an extended period of time. The CAD FixDist
Database will continue to allow the selection and downloading of all fixes
for an extended period of time.
The database files are kept in the same directory you specify as your
target directory.
By default, the download method is set to immediately download the
selected fixes. From the main menu, you can toggle between Now and
Later.
The later option generates FTP scripts that can be used through a cron
job. Normally, FixDist creates a .netrc file that is called by the ftp
command. Because there is an inherent file size limitation on the .netrc
file of 4096 bytes, FixDist will often create more than one .netrc file,
usually calling them .netrc0, .netrc1, etc... etc...
By selecting Later as the download method, you are instructing FixDist
to create the necessary .netrc* files and hold off executing the ftp
command. You can then create your own shell script that executes the ftp
command using the .netrc* files created by FixDist.
The .netrc* files are created in the $HOME/.fixdist_home directory.
When creating a shell script, the logic below should be followed:
FixDist currently supports two types of proxy FTP. See the chapter on
"Using Proxies" for more information.
SOCKS is not supported but we have made it easier to work around such
limitations.
Prior versions of FixDist specified an absolute path to the ftp
command (/usr/bin/ftp). Now we are using a relative path. When the ftp
command is called by FixDist, we simply call ftp instead of calling
/usr/bin/ftp.
This simple modification allows you to work with your $PATH
environment variable. If you use an ftp command that is not the standard
one released by IBM for AIX, you can move your entries in your $PATH
variable so that FixDist will find your ftp command before it finds the
IBM AIX ftp command. If your ftp program is something like
/usr/local/etc/rftp, you can symbolically link or rename it to
/usr/local/etc/ftp and add it to the top of your $PATH variable by
running export PATH=/usr/local/etc:$PATH
Still, some network environments prevent you from using any of the
above alternatives. There is a rather tedious way to run FixDist to help
you figure out what requisites are needed.
This process is to manually get the appropriate FixDist database from
the server and use it to generate the ftp scripts as described in the
above question Why would I use the download later option?
For file names of the databases, see the above question on "How does
FixDist keep track of fixes on the server?".
The basic steps to using FixDist when your RISC System/6000 cannot get
to the Internet directly or indirectly are:
CAUTION:Do not attempt to Refresh your database. Doing so won't
overwrite the database but may cause FixDist to hang waiting for a response.
FixDist does not install fixes for you. It is a fix distribution
tool, not an installation tool. The images received from FixDist are
typically in installp format. This means that you can use SMIT to
install the fixes.
Installing fixes requires that you be the root user. SMIT (calling
the installp programs) looks for a table of contents file named .toc in
the target directory. If .toc does not exist, it will be created
automatically. If it already exists, SMIT may NOT recreate it.
We recommend that each time you download a fix, you manually run the
inutoc command on the target directory to create the .toc file. Do not
rely on SMIT to create it for you because it may already exist when you
download fixes repeatedly. Since SMIT may NOT recreate the .toc if one
already exists, SMIT may not find the recently downloaded fixes in your
target directory.
Yes. For each fix downloaded, you will usually find that an
additional informational file has been downloaded as well. The info
files will have a suffix of .info in the filename.
Some older versions of AIXWindows, namely R4 releases, periodically
display Xt warning messages. If you get these, you can fix this by
loading the R4 libraries when FixDist starts.
TapeGen is a service tool from IBM that enables you to create a stacked
tape containing SMIT installable fixes. You create a stack file that
lists all the images you want stacked onto a tape and TapeGen does the
rest.
The PTF images must be installable through SMIT. This means the fixes
must be in installp format.
The tape device must have the block size set to 512.
Create the stack file. It must contain a list of PTF images that are to
be written to tape.
TapeGen may be executed by typing the following :
Note: The flags encased in brackets [ ] are optional flags. Descriptions
of the applicable flags are listed below:
Once the command is executed you will be asked to verify the parameters,
see example below:
If the parameters are correct and TapeGen is executed then the following
informational message will be displayed on the screen.
Press enter to start the process. TapeGen will display several
informational messages on the screen to verify the steps of writing to
the tape.
TapeGen puts PTF images onto tape in a format that enables SMIT or
installp to update your licensed programs directly from the tape without
needing to copy the fix package onto your hard disk first. This tape
format is called "stacked tape" because the images are stacked one after
another on the tape.
SMIT (installp) requires more than just a stacking of PTF images one
after another. The install process reads a table of content file in
order to find the locations of the images on the tape.
The first and second image on the tape are reserved, empty images. These
reserved areas are not used on fix tapes. They are used by bootable
product installation tapes.
The third image is a special plain text file called the table-of-contents
or toc. As the name implies it contains content information about the
images that are on the tape.
The remaining images are the actual PTF images. If FixDist is used to
created the stack file, they will be ordered on the tape in such a way as
to limit the amount of "tape play". Tape play is the process of skipping
images to get to another image.
TapeGen uses the stack file to determine what PTF images will be put on
the tape.
Then TapeGen verifies that all the images are available to be stacked.
Next, each PTF image is opened and it's toc fragment is extracted. All
the toc fragments are brought together in an ordered format to create the
table-of-contents file that will become the third image on the tape.
After rewinding the tape, we begin the actual writing to the tape. We
call upon dd (device dump) to write each image to the tape. When the
last image is done, the building of the stacked tape is complete.
The following trademarks and acknowledgements apply to this information:
Active Proxy FTP
Configuring FixDist to Use Active Proxy FTP
Proxy Server The UNIX based system to act as the gateway.
Proxy Id The user login id on the proxy server.
Proxy Pwd The password for the user login id on the proxy server.
Passive Proxy FTP
Configuring FixDist to Use Passive Proxy FTP
Proxy Server The UNIX based system to act as the gateway.
Port The port number used by the proxy server.
Supported Products
AIX 3.2 Database
PROD COMP PROD DESC PROD ORD NO
-------- --------- -----------
560125301 RS6 NETWORK MGT 5601253
560125701 AIX WINDOWS RISC/6000 5601257
560125705 SOFT GP/GPFONTS 5601257
560125708 X WINDOWS 3D PEX 5601257
560125709 OPENGL COMMON FILES LAB 5601257
560126001 3270 HOST CONNECTION PROG 5601260
560126301 RS6 PC SIMULATOR 5601263
560145701 X/STATION SERVER SOFTWARE 5601457
569610800 INF0CRAFTER/6000- RS6 5696108
569623600 NETWARE FILE AIX/6000 5696236
569623700 ENCINA 5696237
569623800 ENCINA PPE 5696238
569623900 ENCINA MONITOR 5696239
569624000 ENCINA SERVER 5696240
569634700 ENCINA PPG AIX/6000 5696347
569662300 PERFORMANCE MANAGER 5696623
569662400 PERFORMANCE AIDE 5696624
569670900 ULTIMEDIA SERVICES 5696709
569673500 AIX DSMIT 5696735
569693000 ENCINA P/P GATEWAY 5696930
569693100 ENCINA 5696931
575602700 AIXWINDOWS INTERFACE COMP 5756027
575603001 AIX BASE OPERATING SYSTEM 5756030
575603081 FIBER CHANNEL STANDARD 5756030
576511100 HACMP/6000 5765111
576511700 AIX DCE BASE SERVICES 5765117
576511800 DCE SECURITY SERVER 5765118
576511900 DCE CELL DIRECTORY SERVER 5765119
576512000 DCE GDS SERVER SUPPORT 5765120
576512100 DCE ENHANCED DFS SERVICES 5765121
576514400 AIX PARALLEL ENVIRONMENT 5765144
576514800 AIX CICS/6000 5765148
576515200 AIX CICS/6000 CLIENT 5765152
576523200 AIX DCE THREADS 5765232
576525700 HACMP/6000 5765270
576525900 DCE GDS CLIENT MASSA 5765259
576538200 NETBIOS & IPX SUPPT 5765382
576545800 ENCINA MONITOR 5765458
AIX 4.1 Database
PROD COMP PROD DESC PROD ORD NO
-------- --------- -----------
569690600 ULTIMEDIA 5696906
576539300 AIX VERSION 4 5765393
569689900 PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS 5696899
569690200 DSMIT FOR AIX 4.1 5696902
569690400 DISPLAY POST SCRIPT 5696904
569702100 IPX AND SPX PROTOCOL 5697021
569703700 BLOCK MULTIPLEXER 5697037
CAD and CATIA Database
PROD COMP PROD DESC FESN
-------- --------- ----
561210101 CATIA V3 BASE 0922574
562610000 CATIA SOLU. V4 AIX 0900149
562610000 CATIA Solutions for AIX 3.2 n/a
How FixDist Determines Requisites
AIX 3.2 Database
AIX 4.1 Database
A Brief Discussion on 4.1 Filesets
bos.tcpip.obj U491130 03.02.0000.0000
bos.net.tcp.client 4.1.1.1
CAD Database
Technical Tips and Hints
Where does FixDist keep it's configuration file?
How does FixDist talk to the server?
What files make up FixDist?
How does FixDist keep track of fixes on the server?
How often should I refresh the database?
Why are outdated AIX 3.2 fixes unavailable on the
FixDist servers?
What is the fix policy for AIX 4.1 in lieu of the
above question?
What is the fix policy for CAD?
Where are the database files kept?
Why would I use the download later option?
Copy .netrc0 to .netrc
Run ftp
What if my RISC System/6000 cannot get to the
FixDist server?
zcat fd.db.Z | tar -xvf -
How do I install a fix after receiving it via
FixDist?
Are there any README files for the fixes?
Why do I sometimes get Xt warning messages?
LIBPATH=/usr/lpp/X11/lib:$LIBPATH fixdist
TapeGen Introduction
Prerequisites
Using TapeGen
tapegen -l stack_file -s fix_dir [-d device] [-w work_dir]
-l Name of the stack file. One PTF image per line.
-s Location of the PTF images.
-d Tape device name. The default is /dev/rmt0.
-w Location where temporary files will be created.
The default is /tmp.
AIX TapeGen Utility Version 1.08
The following parameters will be used to create a stacked tape:
STACK FILE stack.list
PTF IMAGES DIRECTORY /images/32
TAPE DEVICE /dev/rmt0
TAPE TYPE 8MM
WORK DIRECTORY /tmp
Do you want to proceed with the above parameters (y/n)?
Verifying if the tape device block size is set to 512...done
Insert a writeable tape cartridge into /dev/rmt0 and press enter
How TapeGen Works
The Concept of "Stacked Tapes"
The Format of "Stacked Tapes"
The Building of "Stacked Tapes"
Trademarks and Acknowledgements
AIX is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
AIXwindows is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
IBM Fix Distribution is a service mark of International Business Machines
Corporation.
FixDist is a service mark of International Business Machines Corporation.
InfoExplorer is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
Motif is a trademark of Open Software Foundation.
X Window System is a trademark of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
PostScript is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.