The APAR process

The first step in the APAR process is that a support center representative enters your APAR into the RETAIN® system. The APAR text contains a description of your problem. If you have found a means of getting round the problem, details of this are entered as well. Your name is also entered, so that the Support Center knows who to contact if the change team need to ask anything further about the APAR documentation.

When the APAR is entered, you are given an APAR number. You must write this number on all the documentation you submit to the change team. This number is always associated with the APAR and its resolution and, if a code change is required, it is associated with the fix as well.

The next stage in the APAR process, getting relevant documentation to the change team, is up to you.

The following is a summary of the things you need to do:

  1. You must collect all of the documentation that is required for the APAR. You are given guidance by the support center on precisely what you need to send. The documentation that is required varies, depending on the problem area, but Collecting the documentation for the APAR gives you an idea of the material that you should supply.
  2. You need to package all the documentation and send it to the change team. The procedure for this is given in Sending the documentation to the change team.
  3. Lastly, you need to apply the PTF resulting from the APAR, possibly after testing the fix on your system. This is described in Applying the fix.
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