1.  SHARE in San Jose
2.  Hot Flashes Survey Results
2.  z/OS 1.7 News
3.  Looking for Help

1.  SHARE in San Jose

The SHARE conference held in San Jose on August 10-15 was as great as always.  It’s like attending three simultaneous, week-long classes.  There is so much to learn.  I’m working on our next newsletter, which contains some of the highlights and other parts of the total SHARE experience.  In the meantime, however, the public can access all of the presentations at the SHARE website at www.share.org.  Click ‘San Jose Online Proceedings’ for access.  Be aware that at some point before February, these proceedings will be available only to SHARE members, so you may want to download any presenta-tions that you want to refer to later.

You can find my two presentations (Hot Flashes – 2509 and Tips for New Capacity Planners & Performance Analysts – 3117) either on the SHARE website or on our web-site at http://www.watsonwalker.com/presentations.html.

2. Hot Flashes Survey Results

At the August 2008 SHARE, I started my Hot Flashes session as usual with a list of survey questions directed at the audience.  I always present an analysis of the results in a future TUNING Letter.  (This also helps us determine the content of future issues, based on which hardware and software platforms are most commonly in use.)  But for Cheryl’s List subscribers, I want to post the raw numbers.  The percentages shown are that portion of an audience of about 122 people.  The numbers in parentheses are the responses to the same question at SHARE six months ago when there were 177 people in the audience.

Hardware

What server type do you have installed, or plan to have installed in the next 12 months?

   z800, z900, z890 20% (34%)
   z990 14% (18%)
   z9-EC 35% (32%)
   z9-BC 25% (19%)
   z10 20%   (8%)
Are you using zAAP processors? 22% (19%)
Are you using zIIP processors? 30% (23%)
Have you used On/Off Capacity on Demand? 20% (12%)
Are you using Variable WLC Pricing? 27% (18%)

 

Software

Which operating system(s) are you (primarily) running?

   z/OS 1.7 25%  (75%)
   z/OS 1.8 33%  (80%)
   z/OS 1.9 42%  (21%)
Using WebSphere on z/OS? 33%  (25%)
Have used zPCR? 12%  (11%)
Using or planning to use HyperPAV? 25%  (18%)
Using or planning to use zLinux? 39%  (60%)
Using z/OS 1.9 SMF Logger?     0   (0%)

 

3.  z/OS 1.7 News

September 26th is the General Availability date of z/OS 1.10.  As most of you are aware, z/OS 1.7 will no longer be supported by IBM as of September 30th, 2008.  These dates are documented at http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/z/os/zos/support/zos_eos_dates.html.  In addition, z/OS 1.9 will no longer be available on October 23rd.  What’s important about these dates is that you can only migrate directly from z/OS 1.7 to either z/OS 1.8 or z/OS 1.9, but not z/OS 1.10.  IBM says that to play it safe, you need to have z/OS 1.9 on order by Sep-tember 15th for a z/OS 1.7 migration.

On August 12th, IBM announced a fee-based extension for z/OS 1.7, which provides support up to two years.  This does not change the migration restrictions (i.e. you need to have ordered z/OS 1.8 or 1.9 previously), but does allow you to report APARs and obtain service.  See Software Announcement 208-283, IBM Lifecycle Extension for z/OS V1.7 (5637-A01).

4.  Looking for Help

ISVs Using zIIPs and zAAPs

Many of our readers want to know which products can exploit zIIPs and zAAPs.  That led me to ask Norman Hollander of CA for a list of their products, and he came up with ten that provide such support.  I’d like to provide a comprehensive list of these products in our next newsletter, so would appreciate any input from other software vendors about their products.  Please send replies to admin@watsonwalker.com.

Assembler Consultant

We are currently looking for an independent z/OS consultant and assembler programmer who could help us with some occasional development and support work.  We are looking for the following skills:

  1. Ability to write, maintain, and document assembler programs that use authorized z/OS system services.
  2. Ability to perform basic z/OS system programmer functions, such as applying SMP/E maintenance and using system utilities.
  3. Availability to handle support questions as they arise (this is very seldom, perhaps once a month).
  4. Availability to take on development projects, usually one or two week assignments, as your time allows.

Notice that this is not a full-time, or even part-time job.  It’s on an as-needed basis, using email and Internet access.  Please submit your resumes to us at admin@watsonwalker.com.  The billing rates would be dependent on your experience, so please include your fee requirements in addition to your resume.

zLinux Author

We are finding that an extremely large number of our subscribers are investigating the use of zLinux on their mainframes.  (The cost savings are phenomenal!)  We’d like to include some articles in our newsletter that can bring MVS system programmers, performance analysts, and capacity planners into the zLinux world.  If you have some experience in the field, know both zLinux and z/OS, and like to write, please let us know your availability for occasional articles.  Please send an example of an article you’ve written to admin@watsonwalker.com.

Fired up, ready to go!