Author Archives: Martin Packer

(Originally posted 2007-07-05.) It was a very good session, even if it was attended by just a “hard core” of mainframe sites. I think everyone said at least something and several said rather more than that. Here are some things I’d like to note from it… There was a general feeling that it’d be usefulContinue reading “Feedback from my UKCMG Mainframe Performance Instrumentation Birds Of A Feather”

(Originally posted 2007-06-23.) Here are my abstracts for the conference: Session B11: DB2 Data Sharing Performance for Beginners This presentation provides an introductory-level view of how to look at the DB2 Data Sharing performance numbersfrom both a z/OS / RMF and a DB2h perspective. Performance topics include: XCF, Coupling Facility, Data Sharing Structures, The application’sContinue reading “Abstracts for System z Technical Conference, San Antonio, September 17-21”

(Originally posted 2007-06-21.) This customer is using DB2 Hiperpools, despite being on a z9 BC processor and running DB2 Version 7. What I notice from DB2 Statistics trace is that most of the Hiperpool pages are not backed by memory. In other words they’ve ceased to exist. This despite there being plenty of memory inContinue reading “And Something Else That Confuses Me”

(Originally posted 2007-06-20.) … with a Performance Consultant? 🙂 Seriously, here’s something that made me go “hmm”… I started looking at the latest set of data from a customer… Their biggest-CPU WLM workload is called “BATCH” when they told me they were a CICS shop – and that CICS was their main CPU consumer duringContinue reading “It Doesn’t Take Much To Confuse Me”

(Originally posted 2007-06-13.) Regular readers would know I’m working on my “Memory Matters in 2008” presentation, which is a re-spin of the ’07 Version. One of the things I talk about is IMS. Thanks to my team mate Andy Wilkinson for this list of IMS Version 10 enhancements, all of which are virtual storage usageContinue reading “IMS Version 10 Memory Enhancements”

(Originally posted 2007-06-06.) One of the problems with having a presentation with a topical title is that you keep having to update the darned thing. 🙂 “Memory Matters in 2007” is a case in point. It’s morphed over the years from two presentations: “Central Storage Performance” and “Expanded Storage Performance” (the latter of which eventuallyContinue reading “UK GSE Conference 30-31 October – Memory Matters in 2008”

(Originally posted 2007-05-31.) (Also posted to MXG-L Listserver (MXG-L@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM) which I highly recommend as a place where mainframe performance people hang out.) I must confess I feel slightly foolish about this… 🙂 After having asked for input into my UKCMG BOF one of the themes that came out was better ways of doing what IFASMFDPContinue reading “Humble Pie Regarding DFSORT and SMF”

(Originally posted 2007-05-25.) I happened to be travelling through Heathrow Terminal 2 yesterday and the day before. Two incidents that made me scratch my head, both related to Passport Control… On the way out there are two Passport Control desks, just past Security. They are set a few feet apart and people can go eitherContinue reading “Madness At Passport Control”

(Originally posted 2007-05-18.) As you probably know this year’s UKCMG conference in June 25-27, Whittlebury Hall, Northants. I noticed when I read the agenda yesterday 2 things: Glenn Anderson’s being worked awfully hard. He’s a great speaker so do make the effort to attend his sessions. There’s a BOF session on each evening – justContinue reading “Birds Of A Feather Session at UKCMG Conference, June 25-27”

(Originally posted 2007-05-16.) I’m reminded of this white paper on XCF Performance from Joan Kelley and Kathy Walsh. It’s a good read and has been recently updated. It does also remind me that there are “D XCF” subcommands that give information that isn’t in the RMF data (SMF 74 Subtype 2). We process these recordsContinue reading “XCF Performance WSC White Paper”