Author Archives: Martin Packer

(Originally posted 2014-04-01.) There’s been some interest recently in whether a zBC12 as a standalone Coupling Facility would be a good idea. Having replied to one such question in email form I can count that as a draft for a blog post on the subject. It’s a complex question as are most about Parallel SysplexContinue reading “zBC12 As A Standalone Coupling Facility?”

(Originally posted 2014-03-23.) I’m writing about intervals again.[1] Two things have occasioned this: I’ve been updating my code for DB2 Versions 10 and 11[2]. I’ve dealt recently with customers with unhelpful SMF or RMF intervals. As I’ve said before it’s important to understand the provenance of the data you’re using. This would be true whetherContinue reading “After A Decent Interval”

(Originally posted 2014-03-15.) As you know I mainly deal in SMF data (and other machine-generated instrumentation). While I’m perfectly adept at conducting interviews and handling evidence from real live people there’s much merit in instrumentation. I’m also not keen on just replaying what you say back at you, with no value added in the process.Continue reading “Machines (Back To Humans)”

(Originally posted 2014-03-08.) It’s only fair to warn you this gets technical straight away. And is probably only interesting to a DB2 audience anyway. And as someone who disclaims on his DB2 knowledge anyway you might not want to read this. 🙂 Still with me? Excellent! As described in Coping With DB2 Version 10 AndContinue reading “And Some More Things On The Way To DB2 Version 11”

(Originally posted 2014-03-08.) I’ve said this many times: I’m not a DB2 person but I’ve bluffed my way in DB2 for many a year.[1] Perhaps that’s why I don’t get to use my DB2 analysis code nearly as much as I’d like. So it’s perhaps not so surprising my code fell behind when it cameContinue reading “Coping With DB2 Version 10 And Preparing For DB2 Version 11”

(Originally posted 2014-03-01.) The subtext of this post is “do try and keep up” – which is directed at me as much as anybody. 🙂 And is a perpetual state of being when you’re dealing with evolving SMF data and enterprise computing environments. When I look at a system’s memory usage my code produces whatContinue reading “What We Share And What We Have In Common”

(Originally posted 2014-02-23.) As you might know I like maths, particularly algebra. (If you’ve read Another Neat Piece Of Algebra – Series Summation and Hello, I’m Martin And I’m An Algebraic 🙂 you do.) If there’s one thing I would be doing if I weren’t doing this[1] it might be teaching maths – but itContinue reading “Factorise – For Your Eyes”

.variable { font-style:italic; font-size: 125%; } .exponent { font-size: 75%; vertical-align: super; } .equation { background: #ccffcc; padding: 10px; box-shadow: 10px 10px 5px #888888; display: inline-block; } .bracket:before { content:”(“; } .bracket:after { content:”)”; } .wrong { color: #ff0000; } .right { color: #00ff00; } // Create HTML to display polynomial // Assumes: 1) AllContinue reading “Factorise”

(Originally posted 2014-02-19.) In zIIP Address Space Instrumentation I discussed the subject of zIIP Capacity Planning. What I was working on – but wasn’t ready to reveal – was a presentation on zIIP Capacity Planning. But I was also working on my new “zIIP CPU From Type 30” code. And that’s indeed what that postContinue reading “New zIIP Capacity Planning Presentation”

(Originally posted 2014-01-15.) Basic tutorial or advanced nicety? You decide… Having been told what I thought was a nice high level presentation was “a bit too technical” I’ll confess to a perpetual (slight) anxiety about “level”. 🙂 Anyhow, this post is about inferences from LPAR names, particularly deactivated ones. (If you catch me saying “inactiveContinue reading “LPARs – What’s In A Name?”