PTFs should help, not hurt. That's the credo, goal, and expectation. But... sometimes things go the wrong way. This gist shows how to use SQL to consume an IBM provided resource, compare what you have locally and most importantly, tell you if you are exposed to a known defective PTF. Please use this gist to gain skills with SQL, but more importa…

Defective PTF Currency.sql

--
-- Subject: Is this IBM i at risk of a known defective PTF?
-- Author: Scott Forstie
-- Date  : February, 2023
-- Features Used : This Gist uses qsys2.http_get, a defective PTF service from IBM, CTEs, sysibmadm.env_sys_info, string manipulation BIFs, SYSTOOLS.split
--
-- Notes:
-- ===============================================
-- 1) The data returned here is the same data you would find when using 
-- Go QMGTOOLS/MG option 24 (PTF Menu) --> option 3 (Compare DEFECTIVE PTFs from IBM)
--
-- 2) If you've never used the QSYS2-based HTTP functions, you might have a decision to make and one time setup.
--    The QSYS2-based HTTP functions rely upon a keystore, where as the SYSTOOLS-based HTTP functions implicitely used the keystore leveraged by Java.
--    The following page in IBM Documentation includes lots of detail about how to use the QSYS2-based HTTP functions:
--    https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=programming-http-functions-overview    
--
--    There's even a section named "SSL considerations" that includes a working setup script. Please read this page.
--
stop;

--
-- Show me every defective PTF for IBM i 7.4, and the corrective PTF number (super raw)
--
values qsys2.HTTP_GET('https://public.dhe.ibm.com/services/us/igsc/has/R740DEFECT.txt', '');
stop;

--
-- Show me every defective PTF for IBM i 7.4, and the corrective PTF number (raw)
--
with raw_webpage (webpage_text) as (
       values qsys2.HTTP_GET('https://public.dhe.ibm.com/services/us/igsc/has/R740DEFECT.txt', '')
     ),
     def_ptfs (agg_list) as (
       select
         cast(
           substring(webpage_text, posstr(webpage_text, '----------') + 11, 30000) as varchar(30000)
           ccsid 37) as URL_STRING
         from raw_webpage
     )
  select *
    from def_ptfs;
stop;

--
-- Show me every defective PTF for IBM i 7.4, and the corrective PTF number (raw-ish)
--
with raw_webpage (webpage_text) as (
       values qsys2.HTTP_GET('https://public.dhe.ibm.com/services/us/igsc/has/R740DEFECT.txt', '')
     ),
     def_ptfs (agg_list) as (
       select
         cast(
           substring(webpage_text, posstr(webpage_text, '----------') + 11, 30000) as varchar(30000)
           ccsid 37) as URL_STRING
         from raw_webpage
     )
  select x.*
    from def_ptfs, table (
           SYSTOOLS.split(agg_list, x'25')
         ) as X where length(rtrim(element)) > 0;
stop;

--
-- Show me every defective PTF for IBM i 7.4, and the corrective PTF number (refined)
--
with raw_webpage (webpage_text) as (
       values qsys2.HTTP_GET('https://public.dhe.ibm.com/services/us/igsc/has/R740DEFECT.txt', '')
     ),
     def_ptfs (agg_list) as (
       select
         cast(
           substring(webpage_text, posstr(webpage_text, '----------') + 11, 30000) as varchar(30000)
           ccsid 37) as URL_STRING
         from raw_webpage
     )
  select cast('IBM i 7.4' as varchar(9)) as Operating_System_Level,
         substring(x.element, 1, 7) as Bad_PTF, substring(x.element, 10, 7) as APAR,
         substring(x.element, 19, 7) as LICPGM,
         coalesce(substring(x.element, 28, 7), 'MISSING') as Fixing_PTF
    from def_ptfs, table (
           SYSTOOLS.split(agg_list, x'25')
         ) as X where length(rtrim(element)) > 0;
stop;

--
-- What verion of the IBM i operating system are we using?
-- 
With iLevel(iVersion, iRelease, VRM) AS
(
select OS_VERSION, OS_RELEASE, 
       'R' concat OS_VERSION concat OS_RELEASE concat '0'
       from sysibmadm.env_sys_info
)
select * from iLevel;
stop;

--
-- Show me every defective PTF for this IBM i, and the corrective PTF number (super fine)
--
with iLevel (defective_PTF_URL) as (
       select 'https://public.dhe.ibm.com/services/us/igsc/has/R' concat OS_VERSION concat
           OS_RELEASE concat '0DEFECT.txt'
         from sysibmadm.env_sys_info
     ),
     raw_webpage (webpage_text) as (
       select qsys2.HTTP_GET(defective_PTF_URL, '')
         from iLevel
     ),
     def_ptfs (agg_list) as (
       select
         cast(
           substring(webpage_text, posstr(webpage_text, '----------') + 11, 30000) as varchar(30000)
           ccsid 37) as URL_STRING
         from raw_webpage
     )
  select 'V' concat OS_VERSION concat 'R' concat OS_RELEASE as Operating_System_Level,
         char(substring(x.element, 1, 7), 7) as Bad_PTF, 
         char(substring(x.element, 10, 7), 7) as APAR,
         char(substring(x.element, 19, 7), 7) as LICPGM,
         char(coalesce(substring(x.element, 28, 7), 'MISSING'), 7) as Fixing_PTF
    from sysibmadm.env_sys_info, def_ptfs, table (
           SYSTOOLS.split(agg_list, x'25')
         ) as X where length(rtrim(element)) > 0;
stop;

--
-- Show me every defective PTF for this IBM i, and the corrective PTF number (ultra fine)
-- Where this IBM i has the defective PTF applied, but does NOT have the corrective PTF applied
--
with iLevel (defective_PTF_URL) as (
       select 'https://public.dhe.ibm.com/services/us/igsc/has/R' concat OS_VERSION concat
           OS_RELEASE concat '0DEFECT.txt'
         from sysibmadm.env_sys_info
     ),
     raw_webpage (webpage_text) as (
       select qsys2.HTTP_GET(defective_PTF_URL, '')
         from iLevel
     ),
     def_ptfs (agg_list) as (
       select
         cast(
           substring(webpage_text, posstr(webpage_text, '----------') + 11, 30000) as varchar(30000)
           ccsid 37) as URL_STRING
         from raw_webpage
     ), 
     defective_ptfs(partition, host, serial_no, OS_level, Bad_PTF, APAR, LICPGM, Fixing_PTF) as (
       select PARTITION_NAME, b.host_name, serial_number,
         'V' concat OS_VERSION concat 'R' concat OS_RELEASE,
         char(substring(element, 1, 7), 7), 
         char(substring(element, 10, 7), 7),
         char(substring(element, 19, 7), 7), 
         case when length(rtrim(substring(char(element,100), 28, 7))) > 0 
              then rtrim(char(substring(char(element,100), 28, 7))) 
              else 'UNKNOWN' end as Fixing_PTF
       from qsys2.system_status_info_basic a, sysibmadm.env_sys_info b, def_ptfs, table (
           SYSTOOLS.split(agg_list, x'25')
         ) where length(rtrim(element)) > 0)
 select * from defective_ptfs
   where 
     -- The Bad PTF is on in any form
     bad_PTF in (select PTF_IDENTIFIER from qsys2.ptf_info where PTF_PRODUCT_ID = LICPGM)
     and
     -- The corrective PTF is not applied 
     Fixing_PTF not in (select PTF_IDENTIFIER from qsys2.ptf_info where PTF_PRODUCT_ID = LICPGM and 
                       (PTF_LOADED_STATUS like '%APPLIED%' or PTF_LOADED_STATUS like '%SUPERSEDE%'));
stop; 

create or replace view systools.defective_ptf_currency for system name def_ptfs 
(partition_name for part_name, host_name, serial_number for serial, os_release_level for os_release, defective_ptf for def_ptf, apar_id, product_id for licpgm, fixing_ptf)
as
--
-- Show me every defective PTF for this IBM i, and the corrective PTF number (ultra fine)
-- Where this IBM i has the defective PTF applied, but does NOT have the corrective PTF applied
--
with iLevel (defective_PTF_URL) as (
       select 'https://public.dhe.ibm.com/services/us/igsc/has/R' concat OS_VERSION concat
           OS_RELEASE concat '0DEFECT.txt'
         from sysibmadm.env_sys_info
     ),
     raw_webpage (webpage_text) as (
       select qsys2.HTTP_GET(defective_PTF_URL, '')
         from iLevel
     ),
     def_ptfs (agg_list) as (
       select
         cast(
           substring(webpage_text, posstr(webpage_text, '----------') + 11, 30000) as varchar(30000)
           ccsid 37) as URL_STRING
         from raw_webpage
     ), 
     defective_ptfs(partition, host, serial_no, OS_level, Defective_PTF, APAR, LICPGM, Fixing_PTF) as (
       select PARTITION_NAME, b.host_name, serial_number,
         cast('V' concat OS_VERSION concat 'R' concat OS_RELEASE as varchar(10)),
         char(substring(element, 1, 7), 7), 
         char(substring(element, 10, 7), 7),
         char(substring(element, 19, 7), 7), 
         cast(case when length(rtrim(substring(char(element,100), 28, 7))) > 0 
              then rtrim(char(substring(char(element,100), 28, 7))) 
              else 'UNKNOWN' end as char(7)) as Fixing_PTF
       from qsys2.system_status_info_basic a, sysibmadm.env_sys_info b, def_ptfs, table (
           SYSTOOLS.split(agg_list, x'25')
         ) where length(rtrim(element)) > 0)
 select * from defective_ptfs
   where 
     -- The Bad PTF is on in any form
     Defective_PTF in (select PTF_IDENTIFIER from qsys2.ptf_info 
        where PTF_PRODUCT_ID = LICPGM and PTF_LOADED_STATUS not like '%SUPER_EDE%')
     and
     -- The corrective PTF is not applied 
     Fixing_PTF not in (select PTF_IDENTIFIER from qsys2.ptf_info where PTF_PRODUCT_ID = LICPGM and 
                       (PTF_LOADED_STATUS like '%APPLIED%' or PTF_LOADED_STATUS like '%SUPERSEDE%'));
                       
stop;

select *
  from systools.defective_ptf_currency;

Thank you :)

You're welcome. Thanks for commenting.

Hi Scott,

Is it possible to use values with the input of an IFS file rather than using HTTP_GET? My customer doesn’t allow web access from their LPARs so I’m looking at manually downloading the txt file in to the IFS and using that instead.

Hello robinsq,
With SQL, so much is possible. We have IFS_READ services and then the structure of the data would need to be pieced out into relational data.

Alternatively, ACS can be used to establish a proxy to the internet and then the SQL in this and similar Gists should run on that IBM i that doesn't allow web access.

IBM in the ACS getting started html file and here https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.4?topic=xj1-open-source-package-management-interface-proxy-support
9.1.39 HTTPPROXYUI

/PLUGIN=httpproxyui

HTTPPROXYUI will launch a secured HTTP proxy that enables connectivity from an IBM i to the internet via the computer running this proxy. Access to the internet is enabled from any SSH Terminal session that enters the commands provided by the HTTPPROXYUI plug-in.
Note: The SSH Terminal session must be running on the same computer as this proxy.
Alan Seiden also has a page https://www.seidengroup.com/php-documentation/offline-installation-of-communityplus-php/

Thanks Scott,

This is not going to work for me in this environment as the ACS session I’m running is managed by CyberArk and has no internet access. This is a bank so everything is locked down.

I have manual pasted the txt file in to values and that works but an IFS file would be more flexible.

Glenn