Author Archives: Martin Packer

(Originally posted 2015-06-22.) As a matter of chance, over the past few months I've been involved in a number of situations where IMS has been an important component of the customers' infrastructure (and I'm about to be involved in another one). Although I hope my customers don't think I think of them only as testContinue reading “IMS Though My Eyes”

(Originally posted 2015-06-02.) As most people know, I thoroughly enjoy conferences and learn a lot. The Dublin one 18 – 22 May was no exception. It was great to meet up with old friends, connect with potential new ones and have a couple of compromising 🙂 photos of myself and friends to prove it. 🙂Continue reading “z Systems Technical University, Dublin 18-22 May 2015, Slides”

(Originally posted 2015-05-15.) I’ve put off writing this post for a while. Largely because it might sound like boasting. The truth being I have very little to boast about. But here goes anyway. I’m a fitful [1] exerciser. It’s not that it’s painful but that it’s not interesting. I’ve never found a sport I enjoyedContinue reading “The Unfit Bit? :-)”

(Originally posted 2015-05-09.) Just a brief one this time. A customer recently asked me how to detect Sysplexes sharing Infiniband links. [1] It arose when discussing the information in the new(ish) Channel Path Data Section in RMF’s SMF 74 Subtype 4 record. The question really boils down to “how do I detect in RMF /Continue reading “Sysplexes Sharing Links”

(Originally posted 2015-05-04.) This post is one where I really don’t speak for IBM.[1] It’s also one that’s firmly in the “Topics” category of “Mainframe, Performance, Topics”, [2] being about the emergent fields of iOS Automation (and Web Automation). And, while I give Remember The Milk a “could try harder” score I’m actually a bigContinue reading “Remember The Milk: Automatic For The People?”

(Originally posted 2015-05-03.) Being about Coupling Facility structures, maybe this should be called “re Structuring”. 🙂 Standing on the shoulders of giants, as I do 🙂 , it is with some temerity that I rethink one of their designs. And it’s only because you might find it helpful that I mention it now. Since theContinue reading “Restructuring”

(Originally posted 2015-04-19.) Regular readers of this post will have noticed the masthead [1] changing. I thought it appropriate to replace the zEC12 (and zBX) graphic with the new z13. I’ve also taken the opportunity to weave in a little gag. The blog’s title remains “Mainframe Performance Topics” but you’ll see I’ve injected a coupleContinue reading “Commatosis”

(Originally posted 2015-04-11.) It’s more like someone rich lighting their cigar with a hundred dollar bill. 🙂 Seriously, this post is about Coupling Facility Lock Structure False Contention and why it matters. It is, of course, inspired by a recent customer situation. Before I explain what False Contention is, and then go on to talkContinue reading “False Contention Isn’t A Matter Of Life And Death”

(Originally posted 2015-03-31.) As you know, we turn data into reports and try to make sense of it. One thing we’ve not done before is use colour in our textual and tabular reports. So here’s what I’ve learnt about how to make B2H use colour. Our Reporting Process But first a word or two aboutContinue reading “And Now In Colour”

(Originally posted 2015-03-22.) OA37826 really is the gift that keeps on giving: I got really nosy about Coupling Facility links when it came out [1] , though most customers didn’t get the added benefits of CFLEVEL 18 for a while. This post is about a customer installation which pointed out another benefit of the instrumentation.Continue reading “What’s The Latency, Kenneth?”