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, 29, 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), 29, 7))) > 0 
              then rtrim(char(substring(char(element,100), 29, 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), 29, 7))) > 0 
              then rtrim(char(substring(char(element,100), 29, 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;

@forstie Is this and the systools defective ptf currency still working? I had this in place checking 70 LPARs and I've noticed that it no longer returns any results. It was working for many many months. When I try to run items from the gist I get this error:

or this:

Hi!
Which IBM i operating system release are you using?
We switched this service to use the SYSTOOLS-based HTTP rest services to avoid this sort of failure.

Hi! Which IBM i operating system release are you using? We switched this service to use the SYSTOOLS-based HTTP rest services to avoid this sort of failure.

The first error was from a 7.5 system and the second from a 7.4. The new systools view does not return any defective PTFs on either system and when I try to use the gist I get these errors. I find it hard to believe I don't have systems with defective PTFs since when I first turned this on almost every system had one or more.

I was just trying to find a way to test to get some kind of validation.

If you have these PTFs applied, the defective_currency service shipped by Db2 for i should not be using AXISC.

7.4 - 5770SS1 - PTF SI83237
7.5 - 5770SS1 - PTF SI83236

The other way to go is to fix your keystore issue and keep using the AXISC-based solution.

For reference, here is the SYSTOOLS-based source code.

CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW systools.defective_ptf_currency FOR SYSTEM NAME defptf_cur (
    partition_name FOR COLUMN part_name, host_name, serial_number FOR COLUMN serial,
    os_release_level FOR COLUMN os_release, defective_ptf FOR COLUMN def_ptf, apar_id,
    product_id FOR COLUMN licpgm, fixing_ptf) AS
  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 systools.httpgetclob(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_name, host_name, serial_number, os_release_level, defective_ptf,
           apar_id, product_id, fixing_ptf) AS (
         SELECT COALESCE(a.partition_name, ''), COALESCE(b.host_name, ''), a.serial_number, CAST(
                  COALESCE('V' CONCAT b.os_version CONCAT 'R' CONCAT b.os_release, '') AS VARCHAR(
                  10)), CHAR(COALESCE(SUBSTRING(c.element, 1, 7), ''), 7), VARCHAR(
                  COALESCE(RTRIM(SUBSTRING(c.element, 10, 8)), ''), 8), CHAR(
                  COALESCE(SUBSTRING(c.element, 20, 7), ''), 7),
                CHAR(
                  COALESCE(
                    CASE
                      WHEN
                        SUBSTRING(CHAR(c.element, 40), 29, 7) <> ''
                        THEN SUBSTRING(CHAR(c.element, 40), 29, 7)
                      ELSE 'UNKNOWN'
                    END, ''), 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')
                ) c
           WHERE LENGTH(RTRIM(c.element)) > 0
       )
    SELECT *
      FROM defective_ptfs
      WHERE
      -- The Bad PTF is on the system and not superseded
        defective_ptf IN (SELECT ptf_identifier
            FROM qsys2.ptf_info
            WHERE ptf_product_id = product_id AND ptf_loaded_status <> 'SUPERSEDED') AND
        -- The corrective PTF is not applied
        fixing_ptf NOT IN (
          SELECT ptf_identifier
            FROM qsys2.ptf_info
            WHERE ptf_product_id = product_id AND (ptf_loaded_status LIKE '%APPLIED%' OR
                    ptf_loaded_status = 'SUPERSEDED'))
  RCDFMT defptf_cur; 

That worked. Thank you!

Awesome, thanks for the follow-up.