Advanced z/OS Performance: WLM, Sysplex, UNIX Services, Z Systems


This course gives technical support personnel in a z/OS-based parallel sysplex installation a clear and detailed understanding of the tasks involved in effective performance management. It covers conceptual performance issues as well as the significant technical considerations, such as parameters and I/O configurations.
The course also provides a comprehensive overview of the Workload Manager functions and of UNIX System Services. . All the key features are described and explained during this course. The course also includes a number of practical hands-on exercises.

This course is only available ' live over the Internet for exclusive, one-company presentations.

What you will learn

On successful completion of this course you will be able to:

  • explain system performance requirements
  • explain the role of a performance person
  • apply basic MVS tuning
  • explain the important WLM considerations
  • evaluate a WLM setup
  • utilise RMF reports to tune MVS
  • define service policies, service classes and classification rules
  • describe the mechanisms for managing and balancing any workload in a WLMPlex
  • explain the implications of using Workload Managed Batch and Resource Affinity Scheduling
  • utilise the latest technology to optimise I/O performance
  • decide on what to monitor
  • utilise RMF to tune MVS I/O
  • understand the hardware configuration for a parallel sysplex, including the Coupling Facility , ICF and XCF Signalling
  • understand the purpose of, and code the parameters to enable the use of, XCF Transport Classes
  • allocate Message Buffer space to XCF
  • interpret the basic information in the RMF XCF reports
  • understand the different options for implementing the Coupling Facilities
  • explain how applications access the structures in the Coupling Facility
  • interpret the basic data in the RMF Coupling Facility reports
  • describe the dynamic activation of a CF LPAR
  • discuss the expansion of the Channel Subsystems with additional LCSS and Subschannel sets
  • describe PAVs, HyperPav and SuperPAV
  • list the new PCIi features
  • describe in detail the use of the Crypto Express cards and their benefits for security
  • understand the Flash Express card and its use in the C
  • understand Hiperdispatch and ZIIPs
  • describe the two-way simultaneous multithreaded (SMT-2) operation.

Who Should Attend

Experienced mainframe technical support personnel.

Prerequisites

Technical support experience in a mainframe data centre.

Duration

5 days

Fee (per attendee)

£2450 (ex VAT)

 

This includes free online 24/7 access to course notes.

 

Hard copy course notes are available on request from rsmshop@rsm.co.uk

at £50.00 plus carriage per set.

Course Code

UZPE

Contents

What is Performance?

What is performance?; the performance issues; performance related activities; performance management; a transaction; transaction delay time components; measuring delays; MVS tuning and the Systems Programmer; three kinds of tuning; corrective tuning; preventive tuning; negative tuning; knowing your system.

z/OS Data-In-Memory

Data spaces and hiperspaces in MVS; Data Space & Hiperspace use in MVS; VLF, LLA, DLF and Hiperbatch; VLF and DLF; what is VLF?; setting up VLF; VLF macros; example of VLF parameters; what is LLA?; running LLA in MVS; LLA module staging; example of LLA parameters; Data Lookaside Facility and Hiperbatch; using DLF and Hiperbatch; the DLF Connect/Disconnect exit; Coupling Facility exploitation; IBM software that uses Coupling Facility; VSAM Record Level Sharing; CICS VSAM file accessing applications.

Input/Output Processing

hy I/O processing?; what is I/O?; MVS support for I/O processing software; MVS and I/O processing; Application I/O; the application program; the DD statement; going to the Access Method; the Access Method; getting the channel program started; EXCP - an IOS Driver; IOS 'Front End'; actually starting the I/O; the I/O engine at work; the Channel Sub-System (CSS); Hardware System Area (HSA); "The I/O Farm"; the I/O Interrupt; IOS Post processing; back to the Access Method; the I/O process from A to Z; starting the I/O; going back from starting the I/O; I/O complete; caching concepts; Read Hit; Write commands; Write Hit; Read Miss; Write Miss; cache modes; review questions - Input/Output processing.

Hardware I/O Performance

What is FICON?; FICON features; System attachment considerations; FICON guidelines; the IOSQ time problem; overcoming restrictions; multiple allegiance and Parallel Access Volumes; PAV and cache; PAV RMF support; managing PAVs; what are PAV limitations?; HyperPAV; SuperPAV; Additional LCSS and SubChannel Sets; Flash Express Card; PCIi Features; Intelligent Resource Director (IRD); IRD LPAR CPU management; IRD LPAR CPU management (2); Dynamic Channel Path Management (DCM); DCM requirements; DCM definitions and concepts; configuring DCM; RMF Channel Path Activity report; DCM and the I/O queueing report; I/O priority prior to IRD; I/O priority queuing; WLM I/O priority management; UCB & DASD CU I/O priority; CSS I/O priority; enabling Channel Subsystem Priority Queuing.

RMF Reports for I/O

Resource Measurement Facility; CACHE - Cache Subsystem Activity reports; CHAN - Channel Path Activity report; DEVICE - device activity report; Monitor I shared DASD; Monitor I shared tape activity report; FCD - FICON director activity report; IOQ - I/O queuing activity report (1); PAGESP -Page/Swap data set activity report; PAGING - Paging activity reports; VSAM RLS activity by storage class; VSAM RLS activity by data set; RMF I/O performance exercise.

Workload Management Overview

The Workload Manager (WLM); WLM Goal Mode and Parmlib members; WLM concepts; Service Policies; Multi-system workload management; Workload reporting; Building the service definition; Service Policy; Creating workloads; Creating resource groups; Creating service classes; Goal types; Creating Service Classes; IBM specified subsystems; Work qualifiers; Subsystems and work qualifiers; Classification Groups; System-provided Service Classes; Defining service policy overrides; Specifying overriding Goals for a Service Class; The Service Definition; Classification rules for subsystems; Implementing WLM; Create performance objectives; Manuals on WLM.

How WLM works

WLM components; WLM Considerations; Dispatchable Units (DUs); SRB types & priorities; SRB scheduling with IEAMSCHD; SRB Enclaves; Dispatcher queues; Performance Index; Donor and receiver determination; Dispatching Priority Control; Dispatching Priority Assignment; INITTMP; Swap control; Work Requests to WLM; Server Topology; Monitoring environment - CICS & IMS; Enclave management; DASD I/O priority management; Sysplex I/O Priority Management; Parallel Access Volumes (PAV); Policy Adjustment Function; Resource Adjustment Function; Workload management services.

Workload Manager Applications

TSO workloads; Emergency TSO Service Class; WLM Batch Initiators; Scheduling Environment; WLM or JES Initiators?; Batch workloadsBatch workload Goals; Special Service Classes; STC default Service Classes; STC Service Class considerations; SYSSTC Service Class; Db2 Address Spaces; DDF enclaves; Classification rules for DDF; DDF Goal types; Db2 Stored Procedures; Sysplex Query Parallelism; CICS - Types of Goals; CICS Region Management Goal; CICS Transaction Management Goal; Transaction goal rules; UUNIX System Services (USS); Why USS uses WLM; UNIX Services fork and spawn function calls; USS Service Classes; USS Classification rules; Definitions for OMVS subsystem type work.

Understanding RMF Reports

Resource Measurement Facility; SMF Records; Monitor II; Monitor III; Postprocessor Reports; Workload activity report reporting options; Workload activity report - Goal mode; RMF monitor I service class period report Goal mode; Monitor I workload group and service class period report; CACHE - Cache subsystem summary report; CHAN - Channel path activity report; DEVICE - Device activity report; Monitor I shared DASD activity; Monitor I shared tape activity report; FCD - FICON Director activity report; IOQ - I/O Queuing activity report ; HFS - Hierarchical File System global statistics report; HFS - Hierarchical File System statistics report ; OMVS - OMVS kernel activity report; PAGESP -Page/Swap dataset activity report; PAGING - Paging Activity report; VSAM RLS activity by storage class; VSAM RLS activity by dataset.

zFS Performance

USS workloads; USS & VLF; environmental variables; cache sizes; resource limit management; PARMLIB issues; monitoring USS; USS performance tools.

Hardware Configuration

Coupling Facility configuration options; Coupling Facility configuration considerations; Coupling Facility configuration comparison; Coupling Facility performance; CFCC: CFLEVEL and feature support; Coupling Facility connection options; Defining the Coupling Facility environment; Coupling Facility Channels (CFCs); CFC connections; CFCs: Paths vs Subchannels;

XCF Signalling

Defining the XCF signalling paths; Signalling path configurations; Not all messages are equal!; Transport classes; Defining the transport classes; Message buffers; Defining the message buffers; Path reconfiguration; RMF: XCF usage by system; RMF: XCF usage by member; RMF: XCF path statistics;

Coupling Facility Management

HCD: defining the CF and CFCs; CFCs: Paths vs Subchannels; Subchannels; SYNCH vs ASYNCH CF requests; SMSG - SYNCH or ASYNCH?; 'Changed' CF requests; Create a CF LPAR; Dynamic activation of CF LPAR; CFRM introduction; CFRM Policy in a CFRM Couple Data Set; Formatting the CFRM Couple Data Sets; Creating a CFRM Policy; Restricting access to IXCMIAPU; Coupling Facilities; IXCMIAPU - defining the Coupling Facilities; Structure considerations; Structure considerations - structure rebuild; Different rebuild processes; User-managed structure rebuild; 'User-Managed'; User-managed structure rebuild threshold; User-Managed Duplex rebuild; Limitations, rules, etc.; System-Managed rebuild process; Structure duplexing; IXCMIAPU - defining the structures; Allocating structures - CFRM vs IXLCONN; IBM product structures; IBM's CF Structure Sizer Tool; Activating the Coupling Facility environment; Maintaining CFRM Policy status; RMF: CF usage - structure summary; CF activity - CF Usage Summary - Structure; RMF: CF usage - storage & processor summaries; RMF: CF Structure Activity - list structures; RMF: CF Structure Activity - lock structures; RMF: CF Structure Activity - cache structures; RMF: CF - Subchannel Activity.

Additional Features

Crypto Express Cards; Encryption; ZIIPs; Hiperdispatch; Hiperdispatch in Batch mode; two-way simultaneous multithreaded (SMT-2) operation.


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