IBM System z - Technical Overview of HW and SW Mainframe Evolution

Course details

The class should consist of lead operators, technical support personnel, system programmers, or anyone in the technical field who requires an understanding of how the current hardware and software interact in the large mainframe environment.

Objectives:

• Describe and compare mainframe and distributed servers usage and workloads:
• Identify why multiple server platforms exist, current concerns, and potential future actions
• Identify and describe workloads that are commonly used on mainframes and distributed servers
• Describe several key IT and mainframe strategies introduced in the 2000s:
• Why they are important and needed in today's environment
• Introduce the zEnterprise System and describe how it can apply to current and future business requirements
• Describe the basic functions, characteristics, and terminology of System z servers
• Identify the IBM zEnterprise 196, z10, and z9 hardware models:
• Identify the number of central processors (CPs) and specialty processors available to various System z servers
• List relative performance of recent System z servers as compared to previous servers
• Identify, list, and compare IBM mainframe servers supporting multiple channel subsystems and zJArchitecture
• Identify processing unit (PU) assignments and usage across all IBM mainframes
• Describe how and what System z physical components are used when processing instructions and performing an I/O operation
• Identify how and when subchannels and UCBs are created during the POR and IPL process
• Identify the large systems OSs and their supported hardware
• Identify the difference between a Base and Parallel Sysplex, list main characteristics, and explain the use of the coupling facility
• Identify the major enhancements provided by the System z software and hardware platform
• Identify processor architectural modes and their supported addressing implementations
• Bimodal, trimodal
• Address spaces, virtual addressing, and storage usage Display zJOS address spaces and identify their status
• Describe the role of the HMC and SE for System z servers
• Identify and change the HMC user interface style
• Identify CPC and image objects usage on the HMC
• Build and customize user-defined groups
• Identify profile types, usage and assign profiles to objects
• Identify System z Capacity on Demand (CoD) options available for planned and unplanned outages
• Describe the new CoD provisioning architecture and which servers can use it
• Describe how logical partitioning is used, resource assignments and initialization activities
• Describe mainframe channels, usage, and channel path identifier (CHPID) assignments
• HCD concepts to define and modify the I/O configuration
• Describe the purpose and use of HCD
• Use the Details window to determine object status and assignments
• Describe how and why unacceptable status conditions and hardware messages are presented to the HMC
• Identify the HMC activation process for CPCs and images
• Send messages to the operating system