Basic z/OS Tuning Using the Workload Manager

Do you need to know how to establish a practical performance management program for your z/OS system? This course is designed for new performance analysts to learn to work with the Workload Manager (WLM) in goal mode. Learn concepts of WLM and performance management in the z/OS system using the WLM.

Learn how to analyze Resource Monitoring Facility (RMF) reports and implement service definitions using the WLM Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF) application. The course uses z/OS hands-on lab exercises to reinforce the concepts and techniques discussed in lecture.

Hands-on labs

This course includes hands-on lab exercises. Each student team, working on their own z/OS system, will configure RMF, analyze RMF reports to find bottlenecks, and utilize the WLM dialogs to create goals and classification rules in a service definition that manages a supplied z/OS workload.

• Describe a performance and tuning methodology
• Develop a systematic z/OS performance and tuning plan
• Describe the factors which could affect the performance of an z/OS system
• Use the WLM ISPF application
• Describe the components of a service definition
• Define workloads and service levels and classification rules
• State which z/OS commands affect WLM operation
• Identify the major WLM services for z/OS, including enclaves and application environments, and how they are used by DB2, WebSphere, and CICS
• Analyze CPU performance when running in a shared LPAR environment
• Utilize and monitor zIIP and zAAP specialty engines
• Measure and tune z/OS DASD, processor storage, and coupling facility configurations
• Explain the functions and facilities of RMF and SMF
• Analyze performance bottlenecks using RMF
• Use Workload License Charges (WLC), defined capacity and soft capping to manage software costs
• Describe advanced z/OS environments that utilize Intelligent Resource Director (IRD), HiperDispatch, z/OSMF Workload Management, and I/O Priority Manager
• Use the z/OSMF Workload Management (WLM) task
  • Use Performance Monitoring with z/OSMF
  • Modify a WLM service definition to meet the requirements for monitoring a specific system workload
  • Create and customize Monitoring Desktops
  • Review any issues by using the Monitoring Desktops options displays
  • Assess the performance of the workloads running on the z/OS

This is an intermediate course for z/OS system programmers, z/OS performance analysts, and z/OS performance administrators new to performance management for their z/OS system.

Note: ES54 is intended for individuals new to WLM and the z/OS performance area

You should:

• Understand basic MVS and z/OS operation, such as job flow through JES, job scheduling paging, swapping, dispatching controls, and I/O scheduling
• Have a basic knowledge of the purpose of the Workload Manager's function in managing system workloads
• Be familiar with using TSO and ISPF to manage data sets and run batch jobs

Day 1

• Welcome
• Unit 1 - Tuning methodology
• Unit 2 - Using SMF and RMF to monitor performance
• Lab 1 - Introduction to your system
• Lab 2 - Using RMF Monitor I and Monitor II

Day 2

• Unit 3 - Performance impacts when running in a shared LPAR environment
• Unit 4 - Basic system workload management (part 1)
• Lab 3 - Implementing a WLM environment on z/OS (part 1)

Day 3

• Unit 4 - Basic system workload management (part 2)
• Lab 3 - Implementing a WLM environment on z/OS (part 2)

Day 4

• Unit 5 - WLM commands, internals, and service
• Lab 4 - Using RMF Monitor III to solve performance problems

Day 5

• Unit 6 - z/OS DASD performance topics
• Unit 7 - Tuning processor storage
• Unit 8 - Miscellaneous performance topics
• Lab 5 - z/OSMF and performance management