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If IBM does not have the resources to certify each Major.Minor version of the OS, the documentation should be updated so that it just reflects the major OS version. By stating that IBM supports a specific major.minor version, from a customer standpoint, it looks as though new RHEL minor versions will not be supported.
I understand IBM updates this on an Application Patch release, but the document should just state that you support RHEL 8 instead of RHEL 8.5, 8.6, etc. If there's a problem in a specific minor version that gets called out, your document should state that there is an issue in that minor version.
It would be exclusive documentation rather than inclusive. IBM calls out RHEL OS minor versions that potentially have a bug and Symphony will not work on, rather than trying to keep an up to date list of the versions it will work on.
From: [omitting the rest persons at customer side.]
Sent: Monday, May 1, 2023 1:33 PM
To: [ca.ibm.com] Steve Lee; Geoffrey Young; pts4citi@wwpdl.vnet.ibm.com
Cc: [omitting the rest persons at customer side.]
Subject: RE: RHEL7 to RHEL8 upgrade on Existing symphony 7.3.2 cluster
Steve:
Since the webpage contains OS sub-versions, I think that IBM Symphony should update the supported sub-version there so there is no confusion. Another way to do is that IBM Symphony team should only put the major version in the support matrix in the link so it is consider that Symphony supports all the sub-versions of the major version.
my two cents.
Justin
From: [ca.ibm.com] Steve Lee <stevelee@ca.ibm.com>
Sent: Monday, May 1, 2023 1:23 PM
To: [omitting the rest persons at customer side.]
Cc: Geoffrey Young; pts4citi@wwpdl.vnet.ibm.com; [omitting the rest persons at customer side.]
Subject: Re: RHEL7 to RHEL8 upgrade on Existing symphony 7.3.2 cluster
Hi Zack,
In general, official document get updated only when with an major update (fix pack release), not even after official RHEL 8.7 / 8.8 certification through RFE. In general, there is no issue during RHEL minor update. If there is an issue, we will support / troubleshoot it.
Thank you
Steve
From: [omitting the rest persons at customer side.]
Date: Monday, May 1, 2023 at 12:24 PM
To: Steve Lee <stevelee@ca.ibm.com>, [omitting the rest persons at customer side.]
Cc: Geoffrey Young <geoyoung@ca.ibm.com>, pts4citi@wwpdl.vnet.ibm.com <pts4citi@wwpdl.vnet.ibm.com>, [omitting the rest persons at customer side.]
Subject: [EXTERNAL] RE: RHEL7 to RHEL8 upgrade on Existing symphony 7.3.2 cluster
Steve, Does this mean that IBM is going to update their documentation here as well? https: //www. ibm. com/docs/en/spectrum-symphony/7. 3. 2?topic=systems-linux-support Without updating this document, it appears RHEL 8. 7 and later is not supported
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Steve,
Does this mean that IBM is going to update their documentation here as well? https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/spectrum-symphony/7.3.2?topic=systems-linux-support
Without updating this documentation, it appears RHEL 8.7 and later is not supported by IBM and we have nothing official that we can point to, other than this email.
Thanks,
Zack
From: [ca.ibm.com] Steve Lee <stevelee@ca.ibm.com>
Sent: Monday, May 1, 2023 11:18 AM
To: [omitting the rest persons at customer side.]
Cc: Geoffrey Young; pts4citi@wwpdl.vnet.ibm.com; [omitting the rest persons at customer side.]
Subject: Re: RHEL7 to RHEL8 upgrade on Existing symphony 7.3.2 cluster
Hi Justin and Zack,
Based on check with dev team, RFE (https://ibm-data-and-ai.ideas.ibm.com/ideas/SPCS-I-956) is currently in process for official certification of both RHEL minor versions (ETA will be announced when available). However, Citi can start using both RHEL 8.7 and 8.8 for Symphony 7.3.2 hardware as we not expect any issue. If an issue pops up, IBM Support will support the issue.
For proactive RHEL minor certification, based on checking internally, our understanding is Support contract is to be on-demand basis (per RFE request). If there is a concern, we suggest to reach out to PM (jkarmiol@ca.ibm.com).
Thank you
Steve
Updating to the below comment:
In accordance to our companies Vulnerability Threat Management Policy, the Citi Spectrum Symphony Operations teams have 90 days to apply a patch after the vendor releases a fix. Red Hat comes out with a new RHEL minor version every 6 months (reference: https://access.redhat.com/support/policy/updates/errata/#RHEL8_and_9_Life_Cycle ). RHEL 8.7 has been Generally Available since November 2022 and RHEL 8.8 is going GA on May 16 2023. Because of this, the operations team has had to patch without any officially documented support from IBM for that OS minor version.
If IBM is a Red Hat partner, they should be able to receive 'Early Developer' access to the Kernel to begin testing Symphony before the minor version is made Generally Available to the public. We are asking that IBM partner with Red Hat in order to test and certify Symphony on RHEL minor versions prior to the 'Generally Available' status and update their documentation on the support page below.
Our engineering group is basing what IBM says is a supported OS version based on this documentation: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/spectrum-symphony/7.3.2?topic=systems-linux-support
Linux is one of the major OS Symphony supports. So, IBM Symphony team should automatically support all the sub-versions of a major version of RHEL without requesting be customers. So far we see that Symphony 7.3.2 support to RHEL 8.6. But RHEL 8.7 and 8.8 was released by Redhat for long time. IBM Symphony team should update the support matrix web link to reflect that.