IBM i AS/400 System Health Checklist (Free)

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14 critical items still open - these are the highest-risk gaps.

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Storage and capacity

Disk used is below your internal alert level (many shops use 70 to 80 percent) on WRKSYSSTS or WRKDSKSTSCRITICALStorage low action (QSTGLOWACN) and limit (QSTGLOWLMT) system values are set deliberatelyCRITICALNo disk units reporting errors or in a degraded state on WRKDSKSTSCRITICALGrowth trend of the largest libraries reviewed since last monthOld save files, spool files and job logs purged under a written retention ruleJournal receivers are detached and cleaned up so they do not fill the diskTemporary storage and permanent address usage looks normal

Jobs, subsystems and performance

Required subsystems (QINTER, QBATCH, QSERVER, ERP subsystems) are active on WRKSBSCRITICALNo long-running or looping jobs consuming CPU on WRKACTJOBJobs in MSGW status are reviewed and answered or endedCRITICALJob queues are not backed up with held or stuck batch jobs on WRKJOBQCPU and memory pool faulting are within normal range on WRKSYSSTSPerformance adjuster (QPFRADJ) is set according to your tuning policyNightly batch cycle finished within its normal window

Messages and logs

QSYSOPR message queue reviewed and no unanswered inquiry messagesCRITICALHistory log (DSPLOG QHST) checked for hardware, storage and security eventsProblem log (WRKPRB) has no open hardware or LIC problemsCRITICALProduct activity log reviewed for repeated errorsJob logs from failed ERP batch jobs are retained for diagnosis

Patching and release

IBM i release is still within IBM support for your hardwareCRITICALCurrent Technology Refresh and PTF group levels are known and recordedCumulative PTF and database group PTFs reviewed against IBM recommendationsPending IPL PTFs identified and a patching window plannedLicensed program and third party product release compatibility confirmed before upgradesHardware maintenance contract and HMC or console access verified

Security

Security level (QSECURITY) is 40 or higher and documentedCRITICALDefault and shared profiles have passwords expired, or are disabled, as requiredCRITICALUsers with all-object authority (*ALLOBJ) listed and justifiedCRITICALProfiles inactive for 90 days or more reviewed and disabledAudit journal (QAUDJRN) active and receivers retained as policy requiresExit points and network access (FTP, ODBC, remote command) are restricted to approved usersSign-on attempts and failed logins reviewed

Recovery and continuity

Last full system save and last daily save both completed without errorsCRITICALBackup media or cloud copy is stored off the production siteCRITICALA restore test has been performed in the last 12 monthsCRITICALHigh availability or disaster recovery replication is current, if you have itUPS and power events checked, and shutdown procedure documented

Run this weekly for operations items and monthly for patching and security. Any unchecked critical item should be treated as an open issue with an owner and a date.

Optional automated IBM i health report

If you would like these checks collected and summarized without manual effort, we can discuss a read-only approach.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to use the checklist

Work through the groups in order and tick each item only after you have looked at the real system, not from memory. Items marked critical are those where a miss can cause an outage, data loss or a security finding. Export the completed list to PDF or Excel and keep it with your change records so you can show trend and ownership. Operations items are suitable for a weekly rhythm, while patching and security items fit a monthly or quarterly cycle.

Commands and screens behind the checks

Most checks are one command. WRKSYSSTS shows disk percentage used, CPU and memory pools. WRKACTJOB shows active jobs, status and CPU. WRKDSKSTS shows disk unit health. DSPLOG QHST reviews the history log, and WRKPRB shows logged problems. WRKPTFGRP and DSPPTF report patch levels. DSPSYSVAL shows values such as QSECURITY and QAUDLVL. Many shops also use the SQL services in QSYS2 for the same data, which makes the check scriptable.

WRKSYSSTS: disk, CPU, memory pools
WRKACTJOB and WRKSBS: jobs and subsystems
WRKPTFGRP: PTF group levels
WRKPRB and DSPLOG QHST: problems and history
WRKUSRPRF and DSPSYSVAL: security

Common mistakes

The costliest mistakes are letting disk climb unchecked until the system halts, never testing a restore, and leaving default or shared profiles active. Another is patching the operating system without checking the ERP vendor and third party tool compatibility first. For ERP systems, remember the check does not stop at the platform: confirm that the nightly batch cycle, the integrations and the reports that users rely on actually ran. A healthy partition can still host a failed batch process.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I run an IBM i health check?

Daily glance checks of messages, jobs and backups, a weekly review of disk and performance, and a monthly or quarterly review of PTFs and security is a common pattern. Adjust frequency to how critical the system is and how much it changes.

What disk percentage is too high on IBM i?

There is no single value, but many administrators set an alert between 70 and 80 percent and act well before 90. Growth rate matters more than the number, as a system that is rising quickly needs attention sooner.

Does this apply to JD Edwards World specifically?

The checks are platform level, so they apply to any IBM i workload. They are especially useful for JD Edwards World because many installations have run for years with one administrator and few written procedures.

Can I automate these checks?

Yes. Most can be scripted with CL, or with SQL services in QSYS2, and sent as a report or alert. Start by automating disk, subsystem and message queue checks, then add patch and security reviews.

If you want these checks run automatically and summarized in plain language for your IT or operations team, Netray can discuss a read-only monitoring approach. The checklist works fully by itself.

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IBM i (AS/400) System Health Check Checklist