Modernization Quality

Regular readers of my posts here know that zIIPs are a type of mainframe specialty processor that augments the general-purpose CPUs. Instead of running all workloads on the general-purpose CPUs, specific workloads are shuttled to the specialty processors for execution. The zIIP, or Integrated Information Processor, was initially created to process certain types of Db2 workloads, but over time the work that can be processed on the zIIP has expanded. Nevertheless, the primary reason for

Mainframe cost optimization is a current buzzword being applied to many different processes and techniques. But let’s face it, optimization in this context inevitably means reduction. The general idea is that companies are looking for ways to reduce the cost of their computing infrastructure. And who can blame them? If you can pay less for something, why not do it? So, what types of things get lumped into mainframe cost optimization? Generally speaking, you can

The cost per MSU (or MIPS) is not steady. At least not for sub-capacity pricing. As the number of MSUs or MIPS  you consume increases, the cost per/MSU (MIPS) goes down. This means that each MSU (or MIPS) saved will be the cheapest you are paying for. This can be verified by reviewing the IBM Z Software Pricing Reference Guide. The price per MSU is based on a multi-level system unique to the sub-capacity pricing

When it comes to exploiting the zIIP specialty processor, a lot of attention is paid to distributed Db2 SQL requests, and rightly so. Distributed SQL issued against Db2 is one of the largest opportunities for reducing stress on general purpose processors. Indeed, most modern applications that access Db2 data do so using dynamic SQL using DRDA. But let’s back up a moment and take a look at some of these terms and what they mean.