CA Explore
®
Performance
Management for z/VM
CA Explore® Performance Management for z/VM (CA Explore for
z/VM) is a comprehensive performance management solution with
real-time and batch reporting facilities that enable data centers to
track vital aspects of z/VM system activity, including systems that
support Linux on System z. Colorful plots, graphs and charts provide
at-a-glance monitoring for improved operations and increased
productivity.
Overview
The increased demands on z/VM operating systems have also increased z/VM performance problems. Performance tuning is especially important when several operating systems are running on one CPU. Considerations such as response time differences and how CMS users are affecting production guests can turn into problems unless they are addressed quickly. CA Explore for z/VM transforms performance management not only by identifying performance problems but also by helping to solve them
Business value
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Optimize performance of your z/VM environment
Optimal performance is necessary to meet the needs of the business and to maximize the value of your z/VM environment. CA Explore for z/VM provides real-time and batch reporting facilities so you can see what is happening in your system. Its viewing and reporting features simplify the task of monitoring your z/VM system and enable you to address problems before they affect your users.
Features
Mainframe 2.0
As part of Mainframe 2.0 strategy, CA Technologies has implemented features that will enable your staff to install, deploy, and service your z/VM products from CA Technologies more effectively and quickly.
CA Mainframe VM Product Manager provides a comprehensive suite of tools designed to
automate the deployment of z/VM products from CA Technologies.
— Deployment of CA Explore for z/VM is simplified. Each release can be installed and
maintained in a single library, and the single set of product code can be deployed to create multiple executable instances of CA Explore for z/VM on the same system.
Standard implementation of IBM VMSES/E (Virtual Machine Serviceability Enhancements
Staged/Extended) provides numerous benefits to CA Explore for z/VM users.
— Industry standard procedures are now used to install and service CA Explore for z/VM
and other z/VM products from CA Technologies, providing a consistent look and feel and increased productivity.
— Skills already developed to service z/VM itself can be leveraged to service CA Explore
for z/VM, so the procedures and commands will be familiar.
— Installation of PTFs is greatly simplified, including the automated inclusion of all
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What’s new in CA Explore for z/VM
Infrastructure enhancements: The use of common code across z/VM products from
CA Technologies will increase our development team’s effectiveness and agility, enabling CA Technologies to deliver new features and enhancements to our customers more quickly and efficiently.
— VM Common Nucleus is a collection of services and routines shared by several products
from CA Technologies, designed to improve reliability and maintainability. Maintenance and enhancements will reach publication more quickly because they can be developed once and then implemented more quickly in each z/VM product from CA Technologies incorporating the Common Nucleus. In addition, the VM Common Nucleus provides infrastructure such as TCP/IP support that can be leveraged to provide future enhancements.
— Standardized data collection: Obtaining performance data from IBM monitor records
improves the reliability of CA Explore for z/VM by replacing data collection process with standard methods.
Key capabilities
Threshold monitoring: This enables users to set limits on resource usage and automatically
executes procedures when those limits are exceeded.
Flashback facility: The flashback facility displays information about past performance.
History reporting: This helps users determine exactly when performance problems
occurred.
Resource control facility: This facility dynamically controls the consumption of real
computing resources by virtual machines and automatically identifies and controls rogue users on z/VM systems. It also monitors and controls virtual machine consumption of CPU, I/O, paging and resident storage resources, and time spent idle. The resource control facility also can be used to implement system service level agreements by providing the control necessary to enforce service level commitments.
RDEVCACH command: The RDEVCACH command provides reports on I/O caching activities,
including information on cache reads, writes and hits that enable you to monitor and tailor caching activities
Performance of z/VM systems that support Linux on System z: CA Explore for z/VM
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Support DB2 under z/VM: CA Explore for z/VM monitors DB2 running under z/VM with both
real-time and historical reports that include information on the activity of the system, pseudo and real agents, and connected users. Reports also provide information on system-level performance, including LUW activity, database calls, DASD I/O activity, checkpoints, rollbacks and logging. Connected users and agents are monitored for application and storage utilization and locking activities.
Lookout function: This function monitors the health of one or more virtual machines
running under z/VM, the logon status of virtual machines and XAUTOLOG machines, as well as messages sent to the virtual machines and the responses.
Online help: The help feature simplifies the use of CA Explore for z/VM for new and
infrequent users.
Delivery approach
CA Services provides a portfolio of mainframe services delivered through CA Technologies internal staff and a network of established partners chosen to help you achieve a successful deployment and get the desired business results as quickly as possible. Our standard service offerings are designed to speed deployment and accelerate the learning curve for your staff. CA Technologies field-proven best practices and training help you lower risk, improve use/adoption and ultimately align the product configuration to your business requirements.
Benefits
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The CA Technologies advantage
CA Explore for z/VM enables you to monitor and manage performance of your z/VM systems to not only identifying performance problems but also help to solve them. It is part of the
CA VM:Manager Suite for Linux on System z---a comprehensive portfolio of products that provide automated operations, service level management, security, backup and recovery, performance management and storage management for z/VM and Linux on System z environments. In addition to delivering excellent technical and customer support worldwide, CA Technologies continues to have a strong commitment to supporting its z/VM and Linux on System z solutions and will continue to maintain its leadership role by developing and enhancing these solutions, exploiting new technology and responding to customer needs and requirements
