What is actually the one largest cost you have as a Mainframe manager? Application licensing costs – the normal expenses essential to operate software program, and to get help if it breaks. This article presents ten techniques to provide these fees down to earth.
Check you truly require it.
Don’t giggle. This sounds evident, but it’s only way too effortless for application that is no for a longer time needed to slip through the cracks. For case in point, you could have some application that was originally required for CICS apps that have considering that moved elsewhere.
You may possibly also have software program certified for all z/OS photographs, but only used on 1.
Check out you truly use it.
As your Mainframe workload alterations more than time, it’s only way too effortless for the use of a application product to quietly drop without Mainframe supervisors noticing. You may be paying out 1000’s of pounds for a solution that only a pair of people are in fact utilizing.
You require to often analyse the usage of your software, and plan the removing of any application no lengthier necessary.
Check out you don’t have two products performing the very same issue.
You may use all your computer software, but have two software items executing the exact same or equivalent function. You want to fully comprehension your software program inventory, and just how every single product is utilised.
Look into sub-capability pricing.
Most software program licensing costs are primarily based on the dimension of each LPAR managing that software – the MSU rating. You can uncover this value from the IBM internet site or a plan to contact IBM’s IWMQVS service.
A couple of a long time in the past IBM launched an additional selection: Sub-Capacity Pricing. This is in which your software licensing expenses are primarily based on your CPU utilization, not on your LPAR dimensions. So computer software working on a lesser-utilised LPAR will be cheaper. It also tends to make upgrades simpler to justify as you will not get hit by increased software fees with the more substantial processor.
IBM isn’t the only vendor providing Sub-Capability Pricing. Other distributors such as BMC and CA are also leaping on the bandwagon.
Reorganise your LPARs.
A lot of sites now run at the very least one particular ‘capped’ LPAR, that means that the CPU sources offered to it are artificially capped utilizing Workload Manager (WLM). Software that is charged on MSU ranking is run in this capped LPAR, lowering fees.
End users of Sub-Capability pricing might contemplate performing the opposite: consolidating LPARs. This lowers CPU intake by decreasing the overhead of running a z/OS impression.
Look into comparable products.
Assess the cost of competing goods, and contemplate shifting to less expensive School Bus Management Software kinds. For illustration, SAS consumers may possibly think about the SAS substitution item WPS by Entire world Programming.
It truly is accurate that in some instances moving to diverse merchandise can be very challenging and high-priced. Nonetheless it just isn’t automatically so, and many vendors offer migration equipment to relieve this discomfort.
Tune your methods.
Tuning your systems reduces CPU usage (great for Sub-Capability pricing end users), and delays upgrades to larger processors.
Move off the Mainframe.
Mainframe CPU assets are pricey when in comparison with other platforms. So it may possibly be value considering migrating some of your workload. For illustration:
Computer software merchandise these kinds of as Tachyon Assembler Workbench and Microfocus Mainframe Specific enable you to complete Mainframe application advancement on Windows and UNIX platforms.
Some products these kinds of as Websphere Company Services Bus and CICS Transaction Gateway daemon operate on both z/OS and other platforms.
Some workloads might easily be moved to other platforms. SOA and relevant providers now can make Mainframe providers and data simpler to entry from other platforms.
Improve your Mainframe.
For the previous few of zSeries processor generations IBM has been supplying a ten% MSU ‘discount’. In other phrases, a z10 processor will have an MSU rating that is around ten% decrease than an equivalent z9 processor. This translates to application license price personal savings.
Invest in Speciality Processors.
IBM now provides Speciality Processors this kind of as the Built-in Data Processor (zIIP) and Application Support Processor (zAAP). These particular processors are not able to do ‘normal’ work, but can be given certain work by typical Mainframe processors. This can improve the functionality of Java applications and other subsystems this sort of as DB2. But the exciting benefit is that the operate completed by these processors does not depend toward your CPU use if you use Sub-Ability Pricing.
Numerous new software program items are also off-loading perform onto these Speciality Processors, like application from BMC and CA.
It does not consider a rocket scientist to know that applying any of these ten approaches is a big task, and needs to be carried out often. However you do have some resources to make this less complicated.
Utilization Software program. IBMs Tivoli License Compliance Manager (changing Isogon SoftAudit for z/OS and Ubiquity Dorana) will immediately list all application installed, who employs it, and how often.
Protection Computer software. Mainframe safety software has facilities that can assist you observe application utilization. For instance, enabling RACF system handle to log access to distinct packages can explain to you who is using a solution, and how frequently.
IBM. IBM give a cost-free Sub-Potential planning tool to assist you plan for Sub Potential licensing.
Computer software Suppliers. Question them for information about software program merchandise you previously have, and alternate options they may possibly have for your current software.
Your Systems Programmer. You key weapon in the combat in opposition to software licensing charges. Programs Programmers set up and customise all your z/OS computer software, so they normally know what it does, and possibly who utilizes it. They can also setup monitoring to decide who is making use of which computer software and how frequently, and will be your scout when seeking for substitute software merchandise and freeware.