Hi Dave, We certainly want to have the z/OSMF installation (with a portable software instance) easier than a CustomPac Serverpac! I do understand, though, that anything different will take a time to get used to. With that in mind, I'd like to mention a sample portable software instance which you can use to become familiar with the z/OSMF installation process today.
Take a look at the requirements on this page (for the PTFs you'll need), you can get a very quick overview of what the deployment process looks like (which has many of the same steps as the CustomPac dialog), and then download a sample package to give it a run on your own system: https://www.ibm.com/support/z-content-solutions/serverpac-install-zosmf/ This sample is what a ServerPac that is a portable software instance looks like today. We've got CICS, Db2, and IMS (and their program products) portable software instances available for ordering on Shopz today, so you could try it out now on any of those products if that would be helpful too. If I may suggest some hints: define your software instances for the existing software you have today installed in a ServerPac. Those software instances can be a "model" for the incoming portable software instance, and takes just a couple of minutes to do. Installing new software, when based on your existing software, could realistically allow you to continue with future installs in a half-day, as you do today. fwiw: We had a new person in our area that had very little z/OS experience and had never installed a ServerPac (or really used SMP/E). This person was able to install a portable software instance in a couple of hours (once he knew the volumes and data set names to use). -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Upgrade ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
