IBM Mainframe Capacity Planning & Software Cost Control Interaction?

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The cost of IBM Mainframe software is an extensive subject matter that is multi-faceted and can generate much discussion. The importance of optimizing Mainframe software costs is without doubt, as it is the most significant Mainframe TCO component, having increased from ~25-50%+ of overall expenditure in the last decade or so. Conversely Mainframe server hardware costs have largely stabilized at ~15-25% of TCO in the same time period. However, Mainframe Capacity Planning activities have evolved over the last several decades or so, where hardware costs were the primary concern and the number of IBM Mainframe software pricing mechanisms was limited. Of course, in the last decade or so, IBM Mainframe software pricing mechanisms have evolved, with a plethora of acronyms, ESSO, ELA, IPLA, OIO, PSLC, WLC, VWLC, AWLC, IWP, naming but a few!

Can each and every IBM Mainframe user clearly articulate their Mainframe Capacity Planning and Software Cost Control policies, and which person in their organization performs these very important roles? Put another way, not forgetting Software Asset Management (SAM), should there be a Software Cost Control specialist for IBM Mainframe Data Centres…

If we consider the traditional Mainframe Capacity Planning role, put very simply, this process typically produces a 3-5 year rolling plan, based upon historical data and future capacity requirements. These requirements can then be modelled with the underlying hardware (E.g. z10, z114/z196, zEC12) server, identifying resource requirements accordingly, namely number of General Processors (GPs), Specialty Engines (E.g. zIIP, zAAP, IFL), Memory, Channels, et al. Previously, up until ~2005, customer requirements would be articulated to IBM, cross-referenced with LSPR (Large System Performance Reference) and an optimum hardware configuration derived. Since ~2005, IBM made their zPCR (Processor Capacity Reference) tool Generally Available, allowing the Mainframe customer to “more accurately” capacity plan for IBM zSeries servers.

Other enhancements to more accurately determine the ideal zSeries server include sizing based on actual customer usage data generated by the CPU MF facility introduced with the z10 server. CPU MF delivers a refinement when compared with LSPR, refining the zPCR process with real life customer usage data, compared to the standard simulated LSPR workloads.

In summary, the Mainframe Capacity Planning process has evolved to include new tools and data to refine the process, but primarily, the process remains the same, size the hardware based upon historical data and future business requirements. However, what about Mainframe software usage and therefore cost interaction?

Each and every IBM Mainframe user relies heavily on the IBM Operating System (I.E. z/OS, z/VM, z/VSE, zLinux, et al) and primary subsystems (I.E. CICS, DB2, MQ, IMS, et al). Some Mainframe users might deploy alternative database and transaction processing (TP) solutions, but a significant amount of Mainframe software cost is for IBM software products. In the late-1990’s, IBM introduced their PSLC (Parallel Sysplex License Charges), which offered lower aggregate (MSU) pricing for major IBM software products, based upon an eligible configuration (E.g. Resource Sharing). This pricing mechanism had no impact on software cost control, in fact quite the opposite; it was a significant cost benefit to implement PSLC!

In 2000 IBM announced Workload License Charges (WLC), which allowed users to pay for software based upon the workload size, as opposed to the capacity of the machine; thus the first signs of sub-capacity pricing. In 2001, the ability to deploy IBM eligible software on a “pay for what you use” basis was possible, as per the Variable Workload License Charge (VWLC) mechanism. Put very simply, a Rolling 4 Hour Average (R4HA) MSU metric applies for eligible IBM software products, where software is charged based upon the peak MSU usage during a calendar month. The Mainframe user pays for VWLC software based upon the R4HA or Defined Capacity (Sub-Capacity vis-à-vis Soft Capping), whichever is lowest.

From this point forward, and for the avoidance of doubt, for the last 10 years or so, there has been a mandatory requirement to consider the impact of IBM WLC software costs, when performing the Mainframe Capacity Planning activity. One must draw one’s own conclusions as to whether each and every Mainframe user has the skills to know the intricacies of the various software (E.g. IPLA, OIO, PSLC, WLC, et al) pricing models, when upgrading their zSeries server.

With the IBM Mainframe Charter in 2003, IBM stated that they would deliver a ~10% technology dividend benefit, loosely meaning that for each new Mainframe technology model (I.E. z9, z10), a lower MSU rating of 10% applied for the for the same system capacity level, when compared with the previous technology. Put another way, a potential ~10% software cost reduction for executing the same workload on a newer technology IBM Mainframe; so encouraging users to upgrade. However, the ~10% software cost reduction is subjective, because a higher installed MSU capacity dictates lower per MSU software costs…

With the introduction of the z196 and z114 Mainframe servers the technology dividend was delivered in the form of a new software license charge, AWLC (Advanced Workload License Charges), where lower software costs only applied if this new pricing model was deployed. A similar story for the zEC12 server, the AWLC pricing model is required to benefit from the lower software costs! If these software pricing evolutions were not enough, in 2011 IBM introduced the Integrated Workload Pricing (IWP) mechanism, offering potential for lower software pricing based upon workload type, namely a WebSphere eligible workload. Finally, and as previously alluded to, as MSU capacity increases, the related cost per MSU for software decreases, so there are many IBM software pricing mechanisms to consider when adding Mainframe CPU capacity. So once again, who is the IBM Mainframe Software Cost Control specialist in your organization?

For sure, each and every IBM Mainframe user will engage their IBM account team as and when they plan a Mainframe upgrade process, but how much “customer thinking is outsourced to IBM” during this process? Wouldn’t it be good if there was an internal “checks & balances” or due diligence activity that could verify and refine the Mainframe Capacity Plan with IBM software cost control intelligence?

Having travelled and worked in Europe for 20+ years, I know my peers, colleagues and friends that I have encountered can concur with my next observation. The English and Americans might come up with a good idea and perhaps product, the French are most likely to test that product to destruction and identify numerous new features, while the Germans will write the ultimate technical manual…

zCost Management are a French company that specializes in cost optimization services and solutions for the IBM Mainframe. From an IBM Mainframe Capacity Planning & Software Cost Control Interaction viewpoint, they have developed their CCP-Tool (Capacity and Cost Planning) software solution. This software product bridges the gap between Mainframe Capacity Planning for hardware and the impact on associated IBM software (E.g. WLC, IPLA, et al) costs.

CCP-Tool facilitates medium-term (E.g. 3-5 year) Mainframe Capacity Planning by controlling Monthly License Charges (MLC) evolution, generating cost control policies, optimizing zSeries (E.g. PR/SM) resource sharing, delivering financial management via IBM Mainframe software cost control activity. CCP-Tool integrates with existing data and activities, using SMF Type 70 & 89 records, defining events (I.E. Capacity Requirements, Workload Moves) in the plan, simulating many options, delivering your final capacity plan and periodically (I.E. Quarterly) reviewing and revising the plan. Most importantly, CCP-Tool deploys many algorithms and techniques aligned to IBM software pricing mechanisms, especially WLC and R4HA related.

Therefore CCP-Tool delivers a financial management framework via a medium-term Capacity Plan with associated software cost control and zSeries (E.g. PR/SM) resource policies. This enables a balanced viewpoint of future Data Centre cost configurations from both a hardware and related IBM Mainframe software viewpoint. Moreover, for those IBM Mainframe users that don’t necessarily have the skills to perform this level of Mainframe cost control, CCP-Tool delivers a low cost solution to empower the Mainframe customer to engage IBM on an equal footing, at least from a reporting viewpoint. Similarly, for those Mainframe users with good IBM Mainframe software cost control skills, CCP-Tool offers a “checks & balances” viewpoint, delivering that all important due diligence sanity check! Quite simply, CCP-Tool simplifies the process of reconciling the optimal configuration both from an IBM Mainframe hardware and related software viewpoint.

Without doubt, if a Mainframe user still deploys a hardware centric viewpoint of the capacity planning activity, without considering the numerous intricacies of IBM Mainframe software pricing, in most cases, this could be a significant cost oversight. Put very simply, a low-end IBM Mainframe user of ~150 MSU (1,000 MIPS) might spend ~£1,000,000 per annum, just for a minimal configuration of z/OS, CICS, COBOL and DB2 software, so one must draw one’s own conclusions regarding the potential cost savings, when deploying the optimal zSeries hardware and associated IBM software configuration. I paraphrase Oscar Wilde:

“The definition of a cynic is someone that knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing!”

So, let’s reprise. You have performed your Mainframe Capacity Planning activity, considered historical SMF data for CPU usage, maybe including the R4HA metric, factored in additional new and growth business requirements, refined the capacity plan by using the zPCR tool, perhaps with data input from CPU MF and you now have identified your optimum zSeries Mainframe server?

Maybe you should think again, because the numerous IBM MLC software pricing mechanisms could impact your tried and tested Mainframe CPU hardware planning process. Firstly, for MLC software, the unit cost per MSU reduces, as the installed MSU capacity increases. In simple terms, this encourages the use of “large container” processing entities, LPARs and CPCs. Other AWLC and IWP related considerations further encourages the use of major subsystems (E.g. CICS, DB2, WebSphere, IMS) in larger MSU capacity LPARs and CPCs to benefit from the lowest unit cost per MSU. Additionally, do you really need to run all software on all processing entities? For example, programming languages (E.g. COBOL, PL/I, HLASM, et al) are not necessarily required in all environments (E.g. Test, Development, Production, et al). It is not uncommon for compile and link-edit functions to be processed in Development environments only, while only run-time libraries are required for Production. These “what if” scenarios generated by the numerous IBM MLC software pricing mechanisms must be considered, ideally by an internal resource, with the requisite skills and experience.

Today, who is performing this Mainframe Software Cost Control in your organization? Is it an internal resource with the requisite skills, an independent 3rd party, IBM or nobody? One must draw one’s own conclusions as to whether any of these parties who could perform this vital activity has a vested interest or not, and thus a potential conflict of interests…