IBM Z Solution Consumption License Charges (SCLC): A Viable R4HA Alternative?

In the same timeframe as the recent IBM z14 and LinuxONE Enhanced Driver Maintenance (GA2) hardware announcements, there were modifications to the Container Pricing for IBM Z mechanism, namely Solution Consumption License Charges (SCLC) and the Application Development and Test Solution.  Neither of these new pricing models are dependent on the IBM z14 GA2 hardware announcement, but do require the latest IBM z13, IBM z13s, IBM z14 or IBM z14 ZR1 servers and z/OS V2.2 and upwards for collocated workloads and z/OS V2.1 and upwards for separate LPAR workloads.

For many years, IBM themselves have attempted to introduce new sub-capacity software pricing models to encourage new workloads to the IBM Z server and associated z/OS operating system.  Some iterations include z Systems New Application License Charges (zNALC), Integrated Workload Pricing (IWP) and z Systems Collocated Application Pricing (zCAP), naming but a few.  The latest iteration appears to be Container Pricing for IBM Z, announced in July 2017, with three options, namely the aforementioned Application Development and Test Solution, the New Application Solution and Payments Pricing Solution.  This recent October 2018 announcement adapts the New Application Solution option, classifying it as the Solution Consumption License Charges (SCLC) mechanism.  For the purposes of this blog, we will concentrate on the SCLC mechanism, although the potential benefits of the Application Development and Test Solution for non-Production workloads should not be under estimated…

From a big picture viewpoint, z/OS, CICS, Db2, IMS and MQ are the most expensive IBM Z software products and of course, IBM Mainframe users have designed their environments to reduce software costs accordingly, initially with sub-capacity and then Workload Licence Charging (WLC) and the associated Rolling 4 Hour Average (R4HA).  Arguably CPU MSU management is a specialized capacity and performance management discipline in itself, with several 3rd party ISV options for optimized soft-capping (I.E. AutoSoftCapping, iCap, zDynaCap/Dynamic Capacity Intelligence).  IBM thinks that this MSU management discipline has thwarted new workloads being added to the IBM Z ecosystem, unless there was a mandatory requirement for CICS, Db2, IMS or MQ.  Hence this recent approach of adding new and qualified workloads, outside of the traditional R4HA mechanism.  These things take time and with a few tweaks and repairs, maybe the realm of possibility exists and perhaps the Solution Consumption License Charges (SCLC) is a viable and eminently usable option?

SCLC offers a new pricing metric when calculating MLC software costs for qualified Container Pricing workloads.  SCLC is based on actual MSU consumption, as opposed to the traditional R4HA WLC metric.  SCLC delivers a pure and consistent metered usage model, where the MSU resource used is charged at the same flat rate, regardless of hourly workload peaks, delivering pricing predictability.  Therefore, SCLC directly reflects the total workload cost, regardless of consumption, on a predictable “pay for what you use” basis.  This is particularly beneficial for volatile workloads, which can significantly impact WLC costs associated with the R4HA.  There are two variations of SCLC for qualified and IBM verified New Applications (NewApp):

  • The SCLC pay-as-you-go option offers a low priced, per-MSU model for software programs within the NewApp Solution, with no minimum financial commitment.
  • The SCLC-committed MSU option offers a saving of 20% over the pay-as-you-go price points, with a monthly minimum MSU commitment of just 25,000 MSUs.

SCLC costs are calculated and charged per MSU on an hourly basis, aggregated over an entire (SCRT) month.  For example, if a NewApp solution utilized 50 MSU in hour #1, 100 MSU in hour #2 and 50 MSU in hour #3, the total chargeable MSU for the 3-hour period would be 200 MSU.  Hourly periods continue to be calculated this way over the entire month, providing a true, usage-based cost model.  We previously reviewed Container Pricing in a previous blog entry from August 2017.  At first glance, the opportunity for a predictable workload cost seems evident, but what about the monthly MSU commitment of 25,000 MSU?

Let’s try and break this down at the simplest level, using the SCLC hourly MSU base metric.  In a fixed 24-hour day and an arbitrary 30-day month, there would be 720 single MSU hours.  To qualify for the 25,000 MSU commitment, the hourly workload would need to average ~35 MSU (~300 MIPS) in size.  For the medium and large sized business, generating a 35 MSU workload isn’t a consideration, but probably is for the smaller IBM Mainframe user.  The monthly commitment also becomes somewhat of a challenge, as a calendar month is 28/29 days, once per year, 30 days, four times per year and 31 days, seven times per year.  This doesn’t really impact the R4HA, but for a pay per MSU usage model, the number of MSU hours per month does matter.  One must draw one’s own conclusions, but it’s clearly easier to exceed the 25,000 MSU threshold in a 31-day month, when compared with a 30, 29 or 28 day month!  From a dispassionate viewpoint, I can’t see any reason why the 20% discount can’t be applied when the 25,000 MSU threshold is exceeded, without a financial commitment form the customer.  This would be a truly win-win situation for the customer and IBM, as the customer doesn’t have to concern themselves about exceeding the arbitrary 25,000 MSU threshold and IBM have delivered a usable and attractive pricing mechanism for the desired New Application workload.

The definition of a New Application workload is forever thus, based upon a qualified and verified workload by IBM, assigned a Solution ID for SCRT classification purposes, integrating CICS, Db2, MQ, IMS or z/OS software.  Therefore existing workloads, potentially classified as legacy will not qualify for this New Application status, but any application re-engineering activities should consider this lower price per MSU approach.  New technologies such as blockchain could easily transform a legacy application and benefit from New Application pricing, while the implementation of DevOps could easily transform non-Production workloads into benefiting from the Application Development and Test Solution Container Pricing mechanism.

In conclusion, MSU management is a very important discipline for any IBM Z user and any lower cost MSU that can be eliminated from the R4HA metric delivers improved TCO.  As always, the actual IBM Z Mainframe user themselves are ideally placed to interact and collaborate with IBM and perhaps tweak these Container Pricing models to make them eminently viable for all parties concerned, strengthening the IBM Z ecosystem and value proposition accordingly.

Optimize Your System z ROI with z Operational Insights (zOI)

Hopefully all System z users are aware of the Monthly Licence Charge (MLC) pricing mechanisms, where a recurring charge applies each month.  This charge includes product usage rights and IBM product support.  If only it was that simple!  We then encounter the “Alphabet Soup” of acronyms, related to the various and arguably too numerous MLC pricing mechanism options.  Some might say that 13 is an unlucky number and in this case, a System z pricing specialist would need to know and understand each of the 13 pricing mechanisms in depth, safeguarding the lowest software pricing for their organization!  Perhaps we could apply the unlucky word to such a resource.  In alphabetical order, the 13 MLC pricing options are AWLC, AEWLC, CMLC, EWLC, MWLC, MzNALC, PSLC, SALC, S/390 Usage Pricing, ULC, WLC, zELC and zNALC!  These mechanisms are commercial considerations, but what about the technical perspective?

Of course, System z Mainframe CPU resource usage is measured in MSU metrics, where the usage of Sub-Capacity allows System z Mainframe users to submit SCRT reports, incorporating Monthly License Charges (MLC) and IPLA software maintenance, namely Subscription and Support (S&S).  We then must consider the Rolling 4-Hour Average (R4HA) and how best to optimize MSU accordingly.  At this juncture, we then need to consider how we measure the R4HA itself, in terms of performance tuning, so we can minimize the R4HA MSU usage, to optimize cost, without impacting Production if not overall system performance.

Finally, we then have to consider that WLC has a ~17-year longevity, having been announced in October 2000 and in that time IBM have also introduced hardware features to assist in MSU optimization.  These hardware features include zIIP, zAAP, IFL, while there are other influencing factors, such as HyperDispatch, WLM, Relative Nest Intensity (RNI), naming but a few!  The Alphabet Soup continues…

In summary, since the introduction of WLC in Q4 2000, the challenge for the System z user is significant.  They must collect the requisite instrumentation data, perform predictive modelling and fully comprehend the impact of the current 13 MLC pricing mechanisms and their interaction with the ever-evolving System z CPU chip!  In the absence of such a simple to use reporting capability from IBM, there are a plethora of 3rd party ISV solutions, which generally are overly complex and require numerous products, more often than not, from several ISV’s.  These software solutions process the instrumentation data, generating the requisite metrics that allows an informed decision making process.

Bottom Line: This is way too complex and are there any Green Shoots of an alternative option?  Are there any easy-to-use data analytics based options for reducing MSU usage and optimizing CPU resources, which can then be incorporated into any WLC/MLC pricing considerations?

In February 2016 IBM launched their z Operational Insights (zOI) offering, as a new open beta cloud-based service that analyses your System z monitoring data.  The zOI objective is to simplify the identification of System z inefficiencies, while identifying savings options with associated implementation recommendations. At this juncture, zOI still has a free edition available, but as of September 2016, it also has a full paid version with additional functionality.

Currently zOI is limited to the CICS subsystem, incorporating the following functions:

  • CICS Abend Analysis Report: Highlights the top 10 types of abend and the top 10 most abend transactions for your CICS workload from a frequency viewpoint. The resulting output classifies which CICS transactions might abend and as a consequence, waste processor time.  Of course, the System z Mainframe user will have to fix the underlying reason for the CICS abend!
  • CICS Java Offload Report: Highlights any transaction processing workload eligible for IBM z Systems Integrated Information Processor (zIIP) offload. The resulting output delivers three categories for consideration.  #1; % of existing workload that is eligible for offload, but ran on a General Purpose CP.  #2; % of workload being offloaded to zIIP.  #3; % of workload that cannot be transferred to a zIIP.
  • CICS Threadsafe Report: Highlights threadsafe eligible CICS transactions, calculating the switch count from the CICS Quasi Reentrant Task Control Block (QR TCB) per transaction and associated CPU cost. The resulting output identifies potential CPU savings by making programs threadsafe, with the associated CICS subsystem changes.
  • CICS Region CPU Constraint: Highlights CPU constrained regions. CPU constrained CICS regions have reduced performance, lower throughput and slower transaction response, impacting business performance (I.E. SLA, KPI).  From a high-level viewpoint, the resulting output classifies CICS Region performance to identify whether they’re LPAR or QR constrained, while suggesting possible remedial actions.

Clearly the potential of zOI is encouraging, being an easy-to-use solution that analyses instrumentation data, classifies the best options from a quick win basis, while providing recommendations for implementation.  Having been a recent user of this new technology myself, I would encourage each and every System z Mainframe user to try this no risk IBM z Operational Insights (zOI) software offering.

The evolution for all System z performance analysis software solutions is to build on the comprehensive analysis solutions that have evolved in the last ~20+ years, while incorporating intelligent analytics, to classify data in terms of “Biggest Impact”, identifying “Potential Savings”, evolving MIPS measurement, to BIPS (Biggest Impact Potential Savings) improvements!

IBM have also introduced a framework of IT Operations Analytics Solutions for z Systems.  This suite of interconnected products includes zOI, IBM Operations Analytics for z Systems, IBM Common Data Provider for z/OS and IBM Advanced Workload Analysis Reporter (IBM zAware).  Of course, if we lived in a perfect world, without a ~20 year MLC and WLC longevity, this might be the foundation for all of our System z CPU resource usage analysis.  Clearly this is not the case for the majority of System z Mainframe customers, but zOI does offer something different, with zero impact, both from a system impact and existing software interoperability viewpoint.

Bottom Line: Optimize Your System z ROI via zOI, Evolving From MIPS Measurement to BIPS Improvements!

System z MLC Pricing Increases: Look After The Pennies…

Recently IBM announced ~4% price increases in z/OS Monthly License Charges (MLC) for selected Operating System and Middleware software programs and associated features. Specifically, price increases will apply to the VWLC, AWLC, EWLC, AEWLC, PSLC, FWLC and TWLC pricing metrics. Notably, SDSF price increases will be ~20% with Advanced Function Printing (AFP) product price increases of ~13-24%. In a global economy where inflation rates for The USA and Western Europe are close to 0%, one must draw one’s own conclusions accordingly. Lets’ not forget that product version changes typically have an associated price increase. From a contractual viewpoint, IBM only have to provide 90 days advance notice for such price changes, in this instance, IBM provided 150+ days advanced notice.

Price increases are inevitable and as always, it’s better to be proactive as opposed to reactive to such changes. As always, the old proverbs always make good sense and in this instance, “look after the Pennies and the Pounds will look after themselves”! This periodic IBM price increase is inevitable, but is not the underlying issue for controlling System z software costs. For many years, since 1994 to be precise, when IBM introduced Parallel Sysplex License Charges (PSLC), the need for IBM Mainframe users to minimize MSU usage has been of high if not critical importance. Nothing has changed in this 20+ year period and even though IBM might have introduced Sub-Capacity and specialty engines to minimize chargeable MSU usage, has each and every System z user optimized their MSU usage? Ideally this would not be a rhetorical question, rather being a “Golden Rule”, where despite organic CPU capacity increases of ~10% per annum, a System z environment could maintain near static IBM MLC software costs.

I have written several blog entries and presented on this subject matter over the years, for example:

The simple bottom line is that System z MLC software accounts for ~20-35% of the overall System z TCO, typically being the #1 expenditure item. For that reason alone, it’s incumbent for each and every System z user to safeguard they have the technical and commercial skills in place to manage this cost item, not as an afterthought, but inbuilt into each and every System z process, from application design, through to that often neglected afterthought, application tuning.

Many System z organizations might try to differentiate between a nuance of System and Application tuning, but such a “not my problem” type attitude is not acceptable and will be imposing a significant financial burden on each and every organization.

A dispassionate and pragmatic approach is required for optimizing System z CPU usage. In this timeframe, let’s examine the ~20% SDSF price increase. IBM will quite rightly state that in conjunction with their z/OS 2.2 release, there are significant SDSF product function advancements, including zIIP offload, REXX interoperability and increased information delivery. However are such function improvements over and above the norm and not expected as a Business As Usual (BAU) product improvements, which should be included in the Service & Support (S&S) or Monthly License Charges (MLC) paid for software?

In October 2013 I wrote a blog entry; Mainframe ISV Software: Is Continuous Product Improvement Always Evident? The underlying message was that an ISV should deliver the best product they can, for each and every release, without necessarily increasing software costs. In this particular instance, the product was an SDSF equivalent, namely (E)JES, which many years ago delivered all of the function incorporated in SDSF for z/OS 2.2, but for a fraction of the cost…

As of 1 November 2015, IBM will start billing cycles for Country Multiplex Pricing (CMP), which requires the October 2015 version of SCRT, namely V23R10. A Multiplex is defined as a collection of all System z servers in one country, measured as one System z server for software sub-capacity reporting. Sub-Capacity program utilization peaks across the Multiplex will be measured, as opposed to separate peaks by System z servers. CMP also provides the flexibility to move and run workloads anywhere with the elimination of Sysplex aggregation pricing rules.

Migrating to CMP is focussed on CPU capacity growth and flexibility going forward. Therefore System z users should not expect price reductions for their existing workloads upon CMP deployment. Indeed there are CMP deployment considerations. A CMP MSU baseline (base) needs to be established, where this MSU Base and associated MLC Base Factor is established for each sub-capacity MLC product and each applicable feature code. These MSU and MLC bases represent the previous 3 Month averages reported by SCRT before commencing CMP. Quite simply, to gain the most from CMP, the System z user must safeguard that their R4HA for each and every MLC product is optimized, before setting the CMP baseline, otherwise CMP related cost savings going forward are likely to be null.

From a very high-level management viewpoint, we must observe that IBM are a commercial organization, and although IBM provide mechanisms for controlling cost going forward, only the System z user can optimize System z MLC cost for their organization. Arguably with CMP, Soft-Capping isn’t a consideration, it’s mandatory.

Put very simply, each and every System z user can safeguard that they look after the Pennies (Cents) and the Pounds (Euros, Dollars) will look after themselves by paying careful attention to System z MLC software costs. Setting a baseline of System z MLC costs is mandatory, whether for the first time, or to set a new baseline for CMP deployment. Maintaining or lowering this System z MLC cost baseline should or arguably must be the objective going forward, even when considering 10% organic CPU growth, each and every year. System z decision-makers and managers must commit to such an objective and safeguard the provision of adequately skilled personnel to optimize such a considerable TCO cost line item (I.E. MLC @ ~20-35% of System z TCO). In an ecosystem with technical resources including DBA, Systems Programmer, Capacity Planner, Application Personnel, Performance Tuning, et al, why wouldn’t there be a specialist Software Cost Manager?

Let’s consider how even an inexperienced System z user can maintain a baseline of System z MLC costs, even with organic CPU capacity growth of 10% per annum:

  • System z Server Upgrade: Higher specification CPU chips or Technology Transition Offering (TTO) pricing metrics deliver 10%+ cost per MSU benefits.
  • System z Specialty Engines: Over time, more and more application workload can be offloaded to zIIP processors, with no sub-capacity MLC software charges.
  • System z Software Version Upgrades: Major subsystems such as CICS, DB2, IMS, MQSeries and WebSphere deliver opportunity to lower cost per MSU; safeguard such function exploitation.
  • Application Tuning: Whether SQL, COBOL, Java, et al, or the overall I/O subsystem, safeguard that latest programming techniques and I/O subsystem functions are exploited.
  • New Application Deployment: As and when possible, deploy new or convert existing workloads to benefit from the optimal MLC pricing metric; previously zNALC, nowadays zCAP.
  • Technical & Commercial Skills Currency: Safeguard personnel have the latest System z software pricing knowledge, ideally from an independent 3rd party such as Watson & Walker.

In conclusion, as householders we have the opportunity to optimize our cost expenditure, choosing and switching between various major cost items such as financial, utility and vehicle products. As System z users, we don’t have that option, only IBM provide System z servers and associated base architecture, namely the most expensive MLC software products, z/OS, CICS, DB2, IMS and WebSphere/MQ. However, just as we manage our domestic budgets, reducing power usage, optimizing vehicle TCO and getting more bang from our buck for financial products various, we can and must deliver this same due diligence for our System z MLC TCO. With industry averages of ~$500-$1000 per MSU for z/OS MLC software and associated annual expenditure measured in many millions, why wouldn’t any System z user look to deliver 10%+ cost per MSU optimization, year-on-year for their organization?

Clearly the cost of doing nothing in this instance, is significant, measured in magnitudes of millions, each and every year. Hence for System z MLC TCO optimization, looking after the Pennies is more than worthwhile, while the associated benefit of the Pounds, Euros or Dollars looking after themselves is arguably priceless.

z13 WLC Software Pricing Updates: Are You Ready?

Along with the z13 hardware announcement were several very obvious WLC pricing announcements, but more importantly, two hidden Statements Of Direction (SOD) or pre-announcements.

I guess we can all remember the “zSeries Technology Dividend” where put simply, when upgrading zSeries servers, users would benefit from a ~10%+ software price versus performance benefit.  Does anybody still remember the IBM Mainframe Charter from 2003?  That was the document that first referenced this price/performance benefit, which became known as the “technology dividend”.  Specifically, this document stated:

IBM lowered MSU values incorporated in the z990 microcode by approximately 10 percent, resulting in IBM software savings for IBM zSeries software products with MSU-based pricing.  These reduced MSUs do not indicate a change in machine performance. Superior performance and technology within the z990 has allowed IBM to provide improved software prices for key IBM zSeries operating system and middleware software products.

Put really simply, for z990, z9 and z10 server upgrades, IBM delivered this ~10% benefit with faster CPU chips.  Therefore, no noticeable impact on Software Pricing, Capacity Planning or Performance Measurement processes.  However, with the z196/z114, this ~10% benefit could no longer be delivered by CPU chip hardware speed enhancements.  To compensate, IBM introduced the Advanced Workload License Charges (AWLC) pricing regime.  AWLC is an evolution of the Variable (VWLC) pricing regime, lowering per MSU costs for WLC eligible products (E.g. z/OS, CICS, DB2, IMS, WebSphere/MQ, et al).  Hence delivering the ~10% price/performance benefit when upgrading from a z10 to a z196 or z114 (AEWLC) server.

Of course, when upgrading to the zEC12 or zBC12, further refinement of AWLC pricing was required, to deliver this the ~10% price/performance benefit.  Hence, IBM introduced the AWLC Technology Transition Offerings (TTO), lowering AWLC prices for zXC12 and now z13 zSeries servers.

For z13, IBM announced the following z13 AWLC Technology Transition Offerings:

  • Technology Update Pricing for the IBM z13 (TU3): When stand-alone z13 servers are priced with AWLC, or when all the servers in an aggregated Sysplex or Complex are z13 servers priced with AWLC, these servers receive a reduction to AWLC pricing which is called.  Quantity of z13 Full Capacity MSUs for a stand-alone server, or the sum of Full Capacity MSUs in an actively coupled Parallel Sysplex or Loosely Coupled Complex made up entirely of z13 servers.  AWLC discounts range from 4% (4-45 MSU) to 14% (5477+ MSU).
  • AWLC Sysplex Transition Charges (TC2): When two or more machines exist in an aggregated Sysplex or Complex & at z13, zEC12, or zBC12 server & at least one is a z196 or z114 server, with no older technology machines included, they will receive a reduction to AWLC pricing across the aggregated Sysplex or Complex. This reduction provides a portion of the benefit related to the Technology Update Pricing for AWLC (TU1) based upon the proportion of zEC12 or zBC12 server capacity in the Sysplex or Complex.  AWLC discounts range from 0.5% (0-20% z13/zXC12 MSU) to 4.5% (81%-<100% z13/zXC12 MSU).
  • AWLC Sysplex Transition Charges (TC3): When two or more machines exist in an aggregated Sysplex or Complex & at least one is a z13 server & at least one is a zEC12 or zBC12 server, with no older technology machines included, they will receive a reduction to AWLC pricing across the aggregated Sysplex or Complex. This reduction provides a portion of the benefit related to the IBM z13 TU3 offering, based on the total Full Capacity MSU of all z13, zEC12, & zBC12 Machines in the Sysplex or Complex.  AWLC discounts range from 2.8% (4-45 MSU) to 9.8% (5477+ MSU).

These AWLC software pricing announcements are Business As Usual (BAU) and to be expected, but if we dig slightly deeper into the z13 announcements, we will find two other pre-announcements of interest!

Since introducing sub-capacity and WLC pricing regimes, IBM have continually evolved zSeries software sub-capacity pricing mechanisms, with zNALC, AWLC, IWP and more recently MWP offerings.  From a generic viewpoint, with the exception of zNALC, a niche new workload price offering, these pricing announcements did not challenge the “status quo”, where aggregated MSU and large LPAR structures were the ideal.  So why might the upcoming z13 (E.g. Q2 2015) pricing announcements be of note?  Primarily because they challenge the notion of having separate structural entities (I.E. Sysplex Coupled zSeries Servers & LPARS) for existing and new workloads.

Country Multiplex Pricing (CMP): A major evolution, essentially eliminating prior Sysplex pricing rules, requiring that systems be interconnected and/or sharing the same data in order to be eligible for aggregation of MLC software pricing charges.  A Multiplex is defined as the collection of all z Systems within a country.  Therefore, sub-capacity usage will be measured & reported as a single machine, regardless of the connectivity or data sharing configurations.  A new sub-capacity reporting tool is being implemented & clients should expect a transition period as the new pricing model is implemented.  This should allow flexibility to move & run work anywhere, eradicating multiple workload peaks when workloads move between machines.  Ultimately the cost of growth is reduced with one price per product based on MLC capacity growth anywhere in the country.CMP should facilitate for flexible deployment and movement of business workloads between all zSeries Servers located within a country, without impacting MLC billing.  For the avoidance of doubt, this will assist the customer in safeguarding they don’t encounter duplicate MLC peaks as a result of moving an LPAR workload from one zSeries Server to another.  It also removes all Sysplex aggregation considerations, Single Version Charging (SVC) time limits and Cross Systems Waivers (CSW).  Most notably, the cost per MSU for additional capacity will be optimized, being based upon total Multiplex MSU capacity.

IBM Collocated Application Pricing (ICAP): Previously, new applications (zNALC) required a separate LPAR to avoid increases in other MLC software charges.  ICAP facilitates new eligible applications be charged as if they are running in a dedicated environment.  Technically they are integrated with other (non-eligible) workloads.  Software supporting the new application will not impact the charges for other MLC software collocated in the same LPAR.  ICAP appears as an evolution of the Mobile Workload Pricing (MWP) for z/OS pricing mechanism.  ICAP will use an enhanced MWRT, implemented as a z/OS application.  ICAP applies to z13, zXC12, z196/z114 servers.  IBM anticipates that ICAP will deliver zNALC type price benefit, discounting ~50% of ICAP eligible software MSU.

Seemingly IBM have learned from the lessons of IWP, where at first glance, software discounts were attractive, but not at the cost of a separate LPAR.  From a reporting viewpoint, there are similarities to Mobile Workload Pricing for z/OS (MWP), but most notably, pricing is largely zNALC based.  Therefore collocating new workloads in the same LPAR as existing workloads, but with the best price performance of any pricing regime, except zNALC, which is a niche and special edition software pricing metric.

In conclusion, CMP and ICAP are notable WLC pricing regime updates, because they do challenge the status quo of MSU aggregation via Sysplex coupled servers and the ability to collocate new and existing workloads in the same LPAR.  On the one hand, simplified pricing considerations from a granular per MSU cost viewpoint.  However, to optimize price versus performance, arguably the savvy Data Centre will now require a higher level of workload management, safeguarding optimum MSU capacity usage and associated performance.

zPrice Manager is an evolution of the typical soft-capping approach, which can be IBM function based, namely Defined Capacity (DC) or Group Capacity Limit (GCL), or ISV product based.  ISV products typically allow MSU management with dynamic MSU capacity resource management between LPAR, LPAR Group & CPC structures, ideally with Workload Manager (WLM) interaction.  If plug & play simple MSU management is required, these traditional IBM or 3rd party ISV approaches will still work with CMP and ICAP, but will they maximize WLC TCO?

The simple answer is no, because CMP allows the movement of workloads between zSeries Servers.  Therefore if WLC product (I.E. z/OS, CICS, DB2, IMS, WebSphere/MQ) pricing is to be country wide, and optimum WLM performance is to be maintained, a low level granularity of MSU management is required.

zPrice Manager from zIT Consulting allows this level of WLC software product management, with a High Level REXX programmatic interface, and the ability to store real life MSU profile data as callable REXX variables.  Similar benefits apply to ICAP workloads, where different WLM policies might be required for the same WLC product, deployed on the same collocated workload LPAR.  Therefore the savvy data centre will safeguard they optimize MSU TCO via MWP and/or ICAP pricing regimes, without impacting business application performance.

In conclusion, the typical z13 AWLC software pricing updates are Business As Usual (BAU) and can be implemented, as and when required and without consideration.  Conversely, CMP and ICAP can deliver significant future benefit and should be considered in zSeries Server capacity planning forecasts.

Bottom Line Recommendation: Each and every zSeries Server user, whether large or small, should initiate contact with their IBM account teams, for CMP and ICAP briefings, allowing them to consider how they might benefit from these new WLC software pricing regimes.