Sysplex Implementation

Course Overview

Learn to lead and assist in the performance activities required for the implementation of the z/OS Parallel Sysplex environment. Explore the coupling facility technology that provides the availability benefits of data sharing with improved performance and with reduced cost of computing. Implement the system management enhancements that improve multisystem management and increase productivity in a Parallel Sysplex environment.

Audience

This is an intermediate course for system programmers and individuals, who implement Parallel Sysplex hardware and software.

Skills Gained

• Implement a multisystem basic sysplex
• Implement a Parallel Sysplex
• Implement MIF CTCs for Parallel Sysplex connectivity
• Dynamically add a coupling facility to the sysplex
• Implement key coupling facility exploiters
• Understand different sysplex recovery scenarios
• Describe the console operations in a sysplex
• Use Hardware Management Console (HMC) in a sysplex environment
• Use HCD in a sysplex environment

Course Outline

• Sysplex overview and definitions
• identify the components used to build a sysplex
• describe the two kinds of traffic between the z/OS system and the CF
• define the connectivity required to support the sysplex
• state the differences between test sysplex configurations and configurations built for the production environment
• define and manage the SYS1.PARMLIB members needed to enable a base sysplex
• Configuration and systems management in a sysplex

• code an IEASYMxx parmlib member to take advantage of system symbols
• configure sysplex consoles
• configure the sysplex couple data sets
• describe the initial program load (IPL) process
• HCD and sysplex connectivity

• identify sysplex signaling requirements
• identify sysplex CTC problems and possible solutions
• develop naming conventions and create a planning sheet to implement shared CTCs in a sysplex
• use HCD to code a sysplex CTC configuration
• implement new Logical Partitions (LP) into a sysplex CTC configuration
• use HCD to define CF InterSystem Coupling (ISC) links and connect CF senders to their associated CF receivers
• HMC overview and navigation

• log on and log off the HMC
• identify and build Central Processing Complex (CPC) and IMAGE groups
• define, edit, and assign activation profiles
• use the HMC to send operating system commands to the z/OS operating system
• activate CPC and IMAGE objects
• Base sysplex migration to Parallel Sysplex

• format the Coupling Facility Resource Manager (CFRM) couple data sets (CDS)
• identify the CFRM CDS to be used to the sysplex
• use the CFSIZER tool to size the Cross-system Coupling Facility (XCF) signaling list structures
• define the Interexchange Carrier (IXC) list structures in the CFRM couple data set policy
• Start the CFRM policy with the IXC structures and verify their use for XCF signaling
• CF architecture

• describe how to properly plan and manage a CF to avoid sysplex failures
• manage CF related failures
• define the CF environment to avoid any single points of failure
• plan a CF configuration that implements structure balancing and provides for structure rebuild
• CF features and exploiters

• identify the main exploiters of the CF
• describe the implementation details of each of the following Parallel Sysplex exploiters:
• IEFAUTOS (not available with z/OS R3 or higher)
• Global Resource Serialisation (GRS) Star
• Job Entry Subsystem 2 (JES2)
• System logger
• Security Server Resource Access Control Facility (RACF)
• Workload Manager (WLM)
• Parallel Sysplex recovery

• execute the actions necessary to recover failures with different Parallel Sysplex components
• describe how to implement Sysplex Failure Manager (SFM) and Automatic Restart Manager (ARM) policies
• describe how to recover from most common failures