Here are the show notes for Episode 23 “The Preview That We Do”. The show is called this because we talk about the newly previewed z/OS release, V2.4, in the Mainframe section. This is our 24th episode too! How convenient!

Mainframe: z/OS V2.4 Preview

1. “z/OS Container Extensions” (zCX)  zCX Information


2. z/OS Upgrade Workflow, no book


3. More in Pervasive Encryption


4. zFS enhancements


5. MCS logon passphrases

Biggest question one may have: what level of HW will z/OS V2.4 IPL on? z/OS V2.4 will run on zEC12/BC12 and higher.

Performance: Coupling Facility Structure Duplexing

• Two types of CF structure duplexing:
  
  User-Managed: Only DB2 Group Buffer Pools (GBP)
  
  System-Managed: e.g DB2 IRLM LOCK1 Structure


• Structure performance matters:
  
  User-Managed not an issue.
  
  System-Managed matters.


• Asynchonous CF Structure Duplexing Announced October 2016


• Important considerations if Async CF Duplexing good all the time:
  
  People make architectural decisions and this should not be a leap in the dark .
  
  Ideally should be established with a little testing, with testing as close to production behaviors as possible.
  
  Generally it’s good for you.
  
  Configuration: Format couple data set, put into service, and then REALLOCATE. Again speaks to planning and testing.
  
  


• The main event for this item is SMF.


• SMF 74-4 Coupling Facility Activity data, primarily interested in structure-level, especially for structure duplexing of any kind. Though CF to CF pathing information also available.


• New Async CF Duplexing instrumentation APAR OA49148


• Early days of Async CF Duplexing despite having been announced in 2016. Martin has been using a customer’s test data, and would like to build experience. Only a portion of this new SMF 74-4 data is surfaced in RMF Postprocessor reports.


• z/OSMF Sysplex Management can help visualize and control the Sysplex resources. This function to help with control is in PI99307: SYSPLEX MANAGEMENT APPLICATION ENHANCEMENTS TO MODIFY SYSPLEX RESOURCES.

Topics: Smart home thermostats

Marna just installed two Nest thermostats, one in each zone (of a three-zone house). Is sharing data with Nest, and presumably whoever owns Nest currently (Google). Instrumentation benefit is having an app in which she can look at what is happening at home, when away, and control it too.

• There are excellent graphs on what has been used (hours of heating, cooling) in the app.

Martin doesn’t have a smart home thermostat, but does have a remote oil tank sensor to determine how much oil is left. This sensor feeds back into a device in the house, and connects to an app on his phone.

• It costs 5 GBP a month, but is unsure yet if it is worth it.
  
  

Contacting Us

You can reach Marna on Twitter as mwalle and by email.

You can reach Martin on Twitter as martinpacker and by email and blogs at blog.