Introduction to the new mainframe:

Large-Scale Commercial Computing

Chapter 2: Capacity

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

Introduction to the new mainframe

Chapter objectives
At the end of this chapter you should be able
to describe:

Mixed workloads
SLA
PR/SM and LPAR
Parallel Sysplex
Storage concepts and management
Measuring capacity

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

Introduction to the new mainframe

Definition of Capacity
Capacity has several definitions:
1. The potential or suitability for holding, storing, or
accommodating
2. The facility or power to produce, perform, deploy or, simply
process

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

Introduction to the new mainframe

Elements required for capacity (1/2)

Any computer system, from a single-user PC to a multithousand user IBM System z mainframe performs work in
the following stages:
1. Load a program from a storage device, normally a disk, to
central storage
2. Process the instructions in the program
3. Load any required data from disk or tape into central
storage
4. Process the data and send the results to the desired end
point
Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

Introduction to the new mainframe

Elements required for capacity (2/2)

The relevant components to perform these steps and therefore
for capacity estimation & planning are:
Processors
Central storage
Access input/output storage (for example disk or tape)
Also the network to these devices has to be considered

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

Introduction to the new mainframe

Many servers

Few Servers

Many servers :
Data retention ?
Locking across servers ?
Connectivity ?
Few servers (IBM System z):
Large volumes of data: best in 1 place
No rewitting needed of applications
1 total system

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

Introduction to the new mainframe

Mixed Workload
The approach to run mixed workload on one single system
comes from the fact that in modern processor chips it is very
unlikely, in a commercial environment, that one program
could keep a processor fully utilized over a longer period of
time.
For example, running jobs for
Online customers,
Online in-house users and
Batch work

on the same system.

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

Introduction to the new mainframe

Service Level Agreement

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is an agreement between a
service provider and a recipient, generally the server owner
and a business unit.
SLAs are the baseline for capacity, availability and performance
measurements and ratings.
Example:
95% of ATM transactions are completed in less than one second.
90% of daily reports are completed by 6 A.M.

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

Introduction to the new mainframe

Managing the system to the SLA

Managing CPU
Managing Disk
Storage concepts (the address space)

-> see next slide

Real storage mangement

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

Introduction to the new mainframe

Address space
16 exabytes

The Line 24 Bit systems

The Bar 31 Bit systems

User Extended
Private Area

512 terabytes

Shared Area
2 terabytes

User Extended
Private Area
2 gigabytes

The Bar

16 megabyte

The Line

User Private Area

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

10

Introduction to the new mainframe

Architecture, running work & capacity

Program Status Word (PSW)
Interrupts

Machine check
Restart
Program Check
I/O
Supervisor call (SVC)
External

Supervisor call
Selection of work to run on a CP
Dispatching priority
CP utilization balance
Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

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Introduction to the new mainframe

Several servers on 1 physical machine

LPAR
Planning for downtime
Software
Hardware

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

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Introduction to the new mainframe

IBM System z Parallel Sysplex

Coupling Facility
Z9 EC
Z9 BC

Parallel Sysplex
SYSPLEX Timer
Z9 EC

ESCON/FICON

Z9 BC

Shared Data
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Introduction to the new mainframe

Measurements
Central Processor usage
Central storage usage
Access to disk storage

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

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Introduction to the new mainframe

Summary
Capacity
Complex when you are :
In a mixed workload
On a large-scale commercial environment

Different workloads different requirements well defined

set of SLAs needed
SLAs are also helpfull for:
Measurement of capacity bottlenecks
the planning of capacity upgrades.
Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

15

Introduction to the new mainframe

Key terms in this chapter

24-bit
64-bit
Address space
Capacity
Central storage
CP
Downtime
I/O
Interrupt
LPAR

Mixed Workload
Parallel Sysplex
PR/SM
PSW
Real Storage
SLA
SVC
The Bar
The Line
Virtual Storage

Copyright IBM Corp., 2006. All rights reserved.

16