Author Archives: Martin Packer

(Originally posted 2017-12-03.) In my “Parallel Sysplex Performance Topics” presentation I have some slides on Coupling Facility Processor Busy. I’ve worried about including them, considering them borderline boring.1 In my head I justified them because they: Help people understand Structure Execution Time (R744SETM). Help people see the changed behaviour with Thin Interrupts. For both ofContinue reading “Getting Nosy With Coupling Facility Engines”

(Originally posted 2017-11-19.) I was in two minds whether to do this as a screencast or a blog post. Obviously I plumped for the latter. There are a few reasons why: This is not terribly visual, there being only one graph. It’ll reach a wider audience, and the message is quite important. I’m feeling lazy.Continue reading “Pay Attention To SYSSTC And SYSTEM”

(Originally posted 2017-11-05.) For once this isn’t a blog post that discusses a podcast episode or a screencast. It is one where I feel a little exposed, but only a little.1 I just updated my “Even More Fun With DDF” presentation – after a whole two months. You’d think there’d be little new to sayContinue reading “Why WLM Controls Are Not Enough For DDF”

(Originally posted 2017-10-31.) Hot on the heels of Screencast 11 – DDF Spikes is my latest screencast: Screencast 12 – Get WLM Set Up Right For DB2. In it I talk about the important topic of ensuring DB2 is protected against shortages of CPU (and zIIP). There are a couple of quite nice examples toContinue reading “Screencast 12 – Get WLM Set Up Right For DB2”

(Originally posted 2017-10-30.) It’s been a busy few weeks but we’ve a new episode out. The experiment with narrowing the “stereoscape” was an interesting one. It is always going to be effort to do this, but having edited all 5 segments I got quite good at it. I think I maybe narrowed it a littleContinue reading “Mainframe Performance Topics Podcast Episode 16 “Chapter And Worse””

(Originally posted 2017-10-24.) It’s been a month since I last did a screencast – and boy what a busy month I’ve had. And in that month I had the privilege of working with a very nice customer, exercising my DDF Analysis code.1 As so often happens, a graph or two come together to tell aContinue reading “Screencast 11 – DDF Spikes”

(Originally posted 2017-09-06.) So this is a shorter episode, much to Marna’s pleasure. (Personally I’m indifferent to show length, regularly listening to episodes of other podcasts that run to 1.5 to 2 hours.) It was very good to have a guest: Barry Lichtenstein. (I kept in the bit where I mispronounced his name, as IContinue reading “Mainframe Performance Topics Podcast Episode 15 “Waits And Measures””

(Originally posted 2017-07-14.) If a customer has Transaction goals[1] – for CICS or IMS – it’s possible to observe the CPU per transaction with RMF. But you have to have: Transaction rate CPU consumed on behalf of the transactions. This might seem like stating the obvious but it’s worth thinking about: The transaction rate andContinue reading “How Does Transaction CPU Behave?”

(Originally posted 2017-07-08.) I’m writing this under a lovely cherry tree in my back garden, in cool shade on a warm summer’s day. Before you complain “that ain’t working” I’ll just point out this is on a Saturday afternoon. 🙂 And the “air cooling” is what makes this post possible. 🙂 Just this past weekContinue reading “My Point Of View”

(Originally posted 2017-07-07.) Boy has this one been a “slow train coming” but I’m glad it’s out now. And it was fun making it. Especially the piece with Frank and Jeff. It’s a long listen; As always I’m comfortable with long podcast episodes. Enjoy! Episode 14 “In The Long Run” Show Notes Here are theContinue reading “Mainframe Performance Topics Podcast Episode 14 “In The Long Run””