Cheryl Watson’s Tuning Letter

In this issue, I'll cover the following: 1. IBM LSPR Update 2. WANTED: Your Performance Stories 3. SHARE Members-only Service 1. IBM LSPR Update On July 15, IBM updated their LSPR ratings for the following processors: 9672-RA4, -RB4, -RC4, -RA5, -RB5, and -RC5. These result in some minor changes to the MIPS ratings in our CPU Chart. IBM also published their LSPR ratings by workload for the HDS Skyline machines using the OS/390 R4 base and new benchmark jobs as described in the previous...

In this issue, I'll cover the following: 1. Upcoming SHARE Conference 2. OS/390 Coexistence Policy 1. Upcoming SHARE Conference I've been a big SHARE fan for many years now and think it's some of the finest (and least expensive!) training available today. This next conference focuses on my favorite topics, performance and capacity planning. It's a conference that you won't want to miss. At $795 (prepaid and postmarked by August 2) it's a real bargain. Here's a description from SHARE: "Benefit...

In this issue, I'll cover the following: 1. Amdahl Processors 2. IBM Processors 3. HDS Processors 1.  Amdahl Processors On June 8th, Amdahl announced a new series of Millennium CMOS processors, the GS2000 series, consisting of 114 new models. There are three model groups. The GS2000A series, with uni-processors ranging from 88 MIPS to 112 MIPS is currently available. The GS2000C series, with uni-processors from 75 MIPS to 150 MIPS will be available 4Q99. And the GS2000E series, with...

In this issue, I'll cover the following: 1. Quickstart Policy Update 2. New HDS Processors 3. OS/390 R6 Re-ordering 4. Important WLM APAR Available 5. Update on DB2 APARs 6. SHARE Proceedings on the Web 7. CMG Roadshow 1. Quickstart Policy Update My Quickstart Policy has helped hundreds of sites move easily into goal mode. I've just updated the article describing the policy and it can be found on our Web site at http://www.watsonwalker.com/qsp.html. If you're already in goal mode, you might be...

1.  New IBM G6 Processors Yesterday (May 3rd), IBM announced their newest CMOS G6 processors, which provide a 32 to 54% improvement over the G5 models. The G6 models provide two series from 1-way machines to 12-way machines. The non-turbo model (9672-Xx7) is based on a 174 MIPS uni-processor and the turbo model (9672-Zx7) is based on a 201 MIPS uni-processor with a top end of 1614 MIPS. Although LSPR rates will not be published until June 15th, the estimated MP ratios look remarkably good...

In this issue, I'll cover the following: 1. Update on My Heart Attack 2. Clarification on LPARs 3. Important Y2K Web Site 4. Update to APARs in 1999, No. 1 Issue 5. HDS Trinium Series 6. Cheryl Watson's TUNING Letter, No. 1 Summary 7. Cheryl Watson's TUNING Letter, No. 2 Summary 1.  Update on My Heart Attack I just wanted to share my good news. After my heart attack, my heart pumping capacity or “ejection fraction” was 30-35% (70% is normal). That's why I said that I had lost 50% of my...

In this issue, I'll cover the just following: 1.  IBM's Change in Ordering for OS/390 R6 Last Wednesday, March 10, IBM released WSC Flash W99013 (OS/390 V2R6 Ordering Update). This flash announces that OS/390 R6 ordering will be reopened by May 28, 1999 for a further six month ordering period. That's very good news for OS/390 R2 and R3 sites that need R6 or lower for coexistence when they migrate to a later release. Most of you will have seen my Cheryl's List from February 24 about the...

In this issue, I'll cover the following: IBM Announcement In the last TUNING Letter, I suggested that people look at WSC Flash W98044, which recommends that multi-system customers be on OS/390 R2.5 by January 1, 2000. At SHARE this week, most of the speakers at the IBM OS/390 sessions are stressing the point that multi-system shops (this can be simply multi-LPARs) currently running R2 or R3 be sure to have OS/390 R6 ordered by March 6, 1999. You don't have to install it before 2000, just have...

In this issue, I'll cover the following: 1. Cheryl Watson's TUNING Letter, 1998, No. 6 Summary 2. Important APARs 3. Good Web Site 4. SHARE in SF 1.  Cheryl Watson's TUNING Letter, 1998, No. 6 The 1998, No. 6 TUNING Letter issue was mailed on February 11, 1999. The Management Issues section is included below to give you a sense of the scope and contents of the issue. The page numbers refer to pages in issue No. 6, of course. The TUNING Letter is a print-only product published six times a year,...

In this issue, I'll cover the following: 1.  My Heart Attack 2.  We're Moving 1. My Heart Attack If you were a subscriber to Cheryl’s List on December 10, you are aware that we were robbed at gunpoint in our home. See http://www.watsonwalker.com/clist17.html. At the time I wrote Cheryl's List #17 we were in the process of recovering.  I was experiencing shortness of breath. Tom, diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff, was just beginning physical therapy. The day after I wrote that Cheryl’s List, I...