Recapping SHARE Phoenix

SHARE continues to be the best place to learn about the latest enterprise IT topics from professionals and industry leaders, and IntelliMagic is proud to continue our sponsorship of the trade show and organization.

After a fully-packed week in Phoenix, another successful SHARE conference is in the books. Our team especially enjoyed meeting with the IT professionals and industry leaders dedicated to ensuring optimal z/OS performance and promoting the modernization (and longevity) of the mainframe platform.

IntelliMagic and its technical team presented on five sessions surrounding z/OS performance monitoring, cost optimization, modernizing data analysis, and more.

For those of you who made it out to Phoenix, hopefully you were able to attend some of our technical sessions, but if not, (and for those who were unable to attend) we have compiled all of our presentations for you to review at your convenience. See you at the next event!

Modernize RMF/SMF Performance Analysis – Get Ahead of the Curve with Intelligent Analysis

The skills gap in the area of z/OS performance analysis is worse than it is in other areas of the mainframe because retirements of deep experts are accelerating, and it takes a long time to build expertise in the art and science of effectively using the data.

The deep performance experts that remain are too busy to be proactive using the 30-year-old process, and the new team members need an effective way to quickly understand what is most important in all the data and how to understand it.

This session discussed and demonstrated how to solve this problem with the power of the machine and intelligent algorithms for RMF and SMF interpretation.

Watch our webinar: RMF/SMF Analysis – Get Ahead of the Curve with Statistical Analysis

Flash: What’s in a Name?

Flash. Is it the light on my camera, a plugin for my browser, or a superhero that runs really fast?

If you’re in IT, flash likely refers to something else: flash memory of some sort. But even then, the term is both ubiquitous and vague. The solid-state drive in your laptop; the new memory in your z14; your new “all flash” storage array. These all boast “flash” technology that promises to make everything faster.

Flash technology is not new but reductions in price and advancements in capacity are exploding adoption. There are many compelling arguments for flash – but is it the solution to all storage bottlenecks? Take a stroll with John Baker as we slow down the hype to explore the various implementations of flash technology and which, if any, can best speed up your datacenter.

CICS & Db2 Performance Analytics Based on SMF Data

In this session we demonstrated the benefits of modernizing how you understand and leverage your SMF data for CICS and Db2 performance analysis. We highlighted how the IntelliMagic approach, with automatic health assessments and dashboard technology, identifies potential performance and availability issues before they impact production. The power of context-sensitive drilldowns to provide enhanced visibility and facilitate effective analysis was also showcased.

Watch our webinar: CICS & Db2 Performance Analytics Based on SMF Data

(Road) Rage Against the Machine: Understanding – and Dealing with – z14 Traffic Patterns

How often have we been stuck in traffic? In many cases, we slowly advance through the gridlock and eventually spot the offending accident or construction work, then off we go. What about when we see no problem? We slow down or stop (sometimes repeatedly), for no apparent reason, then resume just as mysteriously. Not understanding why, is often just as frustrating as the delay itself.

The z14 has vast throughput potential. With almost 200 Processing Units (PU’s) and 32 TB of cache memory, this is a box designed for massive, parallel processing. So why do the same jobs sometimes take longer?  Why do I need to turn on additional engines when transaction rates seems similar? Just as higher speed limits or more lanes don’t always solve traffic problems, more MIPS or more memory is not always the answer.

In this session, John Baker will share his insights from over 25 years of performance analysis. We will explore common sources of application delays and discuss practical solutions to reduce these delays.  Stop the rage.  Don’t get mad; get moving.

Watch our webinar: (Road) Rage Against the Machine: Understanding and Dealing with z14 Traffic Patterns

Confessions of a Cost-aholic: An Insider’s Thoughts on Software Costs – and Opportunities

Sub-capacity pricing has created an entire sub-industry, dedicated to explaining it, auditing it, and controlling it. As complex as it is, sub-cap remains fairer than paying based on installed capacity. Sub-cap allows you to pay for what you use. If only it were so simple.

How does my MSU usage really affect my bill? What about across LPARs or CECs? What about where, and/or how much I utilize various software products? What about the various flavors of caps? And, of course, what’s the deal with all these new options that IBM is providing: Mobile, Container, and Country Multiplex Pricing?

As an independent voice, John Baker explains all these options.

Watch our webinar: An Insider’s Guide to Tailored Fit Pricing for IBM Z