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The Zend Server for IBM i version keeps going up, but in the = "Display Installed Licensed Programs" display it always shows Installed Rel= ease "V5R4M0". Customers sometimes ask why the release does not match= the IBM i OS version, or why the release does not match the version for Ze= nd Server. They sometimes ask if they have the wrong version installe= d, thinking this indicates the installed version is only compatible with V5= R4. They also sometimes ask why we show V5R4, when this version of IB= M i is not even supported by Zend or IBM any more. This article will = answer these questions.
Any version of Zend Server for IBM i, running on any supporte= d version of IBM i.
Quite some time ago Zend R&D began providing updates for = Zend Server using the IBM PTF utility. This is a nice feature that al= lows updates to be applied using the familiar LODPTF and APYPTF commands, a= nd even allows for backing off the updates using RMVPTF.
The PTF utility was never conceived to be a vehicle for versi= on upgrades. PTF stands for Program Temporary Fix, and was conceived = as a way to apply patches to an existing version. Since IBM supports = multiple versions of the OS on IBM i, and many PTFs would not necessarily a= pply to all releases, the PTF process includes an edit to validate the Inst= alled Release of the PTF and match it against the Installed Release of the = Licensed Program. A mismatch causes the APYPTF to fail. This wo= rks pretty well for IBM i releases, that tend to show up every couple of ye= ars, and are not installed using the PTF utility.
At Zend, we put out a few releases each year, and we like the= idea of using the PTF utility to not just update existing versions, but al= so to upgrade to new versions. We found we could do this as long as w= e did not ever change the Installed Release attached to our Zend Server ins= tallations. And so, it was originally V5R4M0, and we just kept it at = V5R4M0. This allows us to provide a very convenient method to both up= date and upgrade Zend Server for IBM i, while causing no technical problem = whatsoever. The only problem it does cause is some occasional confusi= on, which can be corrected simply by explaining.
For the purposes of Zend Server, the "Installed Release" fiel= d shown on the "Display Installed Licensed Programs" display is completely = nominal. This piece of data is not used by our software in any way.&n= bsp; Our only consideration is to leave it alone and not change it. W= e use other edits in our installer to prevent inappropriate installations.<= /p>
Q: Why does the Installed Release not match the IBM i OS = version, or why does it not match the version for Zend Server?
A: The Installed Release is nominal. It does not need t= o match the IBM i OS version nor the Zend Server version. The Zend Se= rver version is always visible in the "Description" field on the Display In= stalled Licensed Programs" display.
Q: Is the wrong version of Zend Server installed? I= s the installed version only compatible with V5R4?
A: No, and no. We do not create different distributions of Ze= nd Server for different versions of IBM i. We just provide the one di= stribution that will work on any supported version of IBM i. We do oc= casionally drop support for versions of IBM i, usually around the same time= IBM drops support (not necessarily extended support, just regular support)= , for a version.
Q: Then how do I know the version of Zend Server I am upg= rading to supports the version of IBM i I am running?
A: This information is found in the installation notes. = Also, when we drop support for an IBM i version, we try to make kind of a = big deal about it, so people will know. The main way we tell people i= s in the email newsletter we send around to our IBM i customers. You = have to opt in to get the newsletter, so if you are not getting it, you rea= lly should:
Get email notifications when Zend Server for IBM i updates ar= e available
Also, we put edits in the updater to detect the IBM i version= and halt the installation if the IBM i version is not supported for the Ze= nd Server for IBM i release.
Q: Why does the Installed Release show V5R4, when this ve= rsion of IBM i is not even supported by Zend or IBM any more?
A: Because if we change it, it will break our ability to upgr= ade our releases using the PTF utility. Leaving it unchanged will cau= se no adverse affect. So we will leave it at V5R4M0, probably forever= , or, at least, for a very long time, because it works fine just the way it= is.
Q: I just read all of this, and I have no idea what you a= re talking about. Where would I see V5R4M0 next to the Zend Server fo= r IBM i product?
A: From a 5250 command line, with sufficient authority:=
go licpgm
Use option "10. Display= installed licensed programs". This brings up the "Display Installed = Licensed Programs" display. Use F11 once to display the "Installed Re= lease" column. Page down until you find Zend Server, usually towards = the very end. Here is an example of the last page of this display on = a partition running V7R1:
Display Installed Licensed Programs &nbs= p;
&n= bsp;  = ; &n= bsp;  = ; &n= bsp; System:
Licensed Installe= d &n= bsp;  = ; &n= bsp;
Progra= m Release Description = &nb= sp; =
5770XE1 V7R1M0 &n= bsp; IBM i Access for Windows &nbs= p; &= nbsp;
5770XW1 V7R1M0 &nb= sp; IBM i Access Family &nbs= p; &= nbsp;
5770XW1 V7R1M0 &nb= sp; IBM i Access Enablement Support &nbs= p;
2ZSVRPI&= nbsp; V5R4M0 Zend Server for IBM i 5.6.= 0 ( PHP 5.3 )
6ZSVRPI V= 5R4M0 Zend Server for IBM i 6.3.0 ( PHP 5.5 )=
On this partition, we have both Zend Server 5.6.0 and 6.3.0 installed.&n= bsp; Notice that in both cases the Installed Release is "V5R4M0". The= Description tells the actual version of both Zend Server and PHP.