DST and AIX

This information has been provided by Brian Coles, AIX Engineer. If you use AIX or have clients using it, you will especially want to read this.

ALL computer systems (not only AIX based ones) will require US DST 2007 changes applied in some manner at some time soon, however this article and service offered by Brian applies only to your AIX systems at this time. Please be sure to consult with your other systems’ vendors for their particular US DST 2007 update methods.

To avoid any particular problems with the current operating US DST 2006 period and settings, it is suggested that any corrections to the US DST 2007 period should not be applied until AFTER November 05, 2006 and BEFORE March 11, 2007. However, the sooner corrections are applied the better, so they are not to be forgotten and applied too late ! Please be proactive !

IBM has already released US DST 2007 updates, but ONLY to AIX 5L operating systems to support this change. These updates may already be applied your system, in which case no further action is required. Please note that if an AIX system does require any changes then it will ALSO need a complete AIX system reboot at that time, so please schedule a suitable period of operations downtime for these changes to be effected properly.

AIX 5L Version 5.3:

IBM recommends installing Technology Level 4 or later which already contains the corrections. Use the root user-id ‘oslevel –s’ command to check level. The update is also available as a specific fix for systems not yet at Technology Level 4 (i.e. not at 5300-04-xx or above). We can assist you in obtaining and applying this fix on a per system chargeable basis.

AIX 5L Version 5.2:

IBM recommends installing Technology Level 8 or later which already contains the corrections. Use the root user-id ‘oslevel –s’ command to check level. The update is also available as a specific fix for systems not yet at Technology Level 8 (i.e. not at 5200-08-xx or above). We can assist you in obtaining and applying this fix on a per system chargeable basis.

AIX 5L Version 5.1:

IBM does not have a Maintenance Level after the final ML 5100-09 that would contain this fix, therefore a PTF update is required to all AIX 5.1 systems in use. Use the root user-id ‘oslevel –r’ command to check level (i.e. 5100-xx). The update is available as a specific fix for AIX 5.1 systems. We can assist you in obtaining and applying this fix on a per system chargeable basis.

AIX 4.3.x:

IBM will not make available any specific fix (PTF) for AIX 4.3.x systems, all of which became End of Support at 2003-12-31. The final Maintenance Level was ML4330-11. Use the root user-id ‘oslevel –r’ command to check level (i.e. 4330-xx).

For AIX 4.3.2.and 4.3.3 systems still in use, a simple procedure to override the default US DST period settings will need to be performed once only, sometime AFTER November 05, 2006 and BEFORE March 11, 2007. We can assist you in applying this simple tried and tested procedure on a per system chargeable basis.

In ALL cases above, the corrected AIX system will also require a convenient reboot after applying the appropriate fix/procedure in order to at least ensure all necessary crontab processes are aligned appropriately, so please schedule a suitable period of operations downtime for these changes to be effected properly.

Remember:

Get a time jump on US DST 2007 and its’ changes, be proactive now and check it and set it early rather than late, or even too late ! As in those famous tv commercials, Ron says ~ "Set it and forget it !"

Contact us for assistance in all your AIX matters.

Regards, Brian Coles.

Published in Neblog with permission. Statements in this article have not been verified by Nebula Research and Development, or by Tony Gravagno.