What is the one most significant value you have as a Mainframe manager? Computer software licensing expenses – the standard charges required to run software, and to get support if it breaks. This post presents 10 approaches to bring these fees down to earth.
Check you really want it.
Do not chortle. This appears clear, but it truly is only also straightforward for software program that is no longer required to slip by means of the cracks. For instance, you could have some computer software that was at first needed for CICS applications that have considering that moved in other places.
You could also have software program accredited for all z/OS photos, but only utilized on 1.
Check you really use it.
As your Mainframe workload modifications over time, it’s only also simple for the use of a software program product to quietly decrease without Mainframe supervisors noticing. You may be paying out 1000’s of bucks for a item that only a few of folks are actually using.
You need to often analyse the use of your application, and timetable the removal of any software program no for a longer time needed.
Examine you do not have two items doing the same thing.
You may possibly use all your software program, but have two application merchandise doing the very same or similar perform. You require to completely knowing your application inventory, and exactly how every merchandise is utilized.
Investigate sub-potential pricing.
Most software licensing expenses are based on the size of every LPAR running that software – the MSU ranking. You can discover this worth from the IBM website or a plan to get in touch with IBM’s IWMQVS provider.
A few a long time in the past IBM released one more selection: Sub-Capability Pricing. This is where your software program licensing fees are primarily based on your CPU use, not on your LPAR dimension. So application operating on a lesser-employed LPAR will be less expensive. It also tends to make updates less difficult to justify as you don’t get strike by elevated software expenses with the larger processor.
IBM just isn’t the only vendor providing Sub-Capability Pricing. Other distributors this kind of as BMC and CA are also jumping on the bandwagon.
Reorganise your LPARs.
A lot of web sites now run at minimum 1 ‘capped’ LPAR, indicating that the CPU sources available to it are artificially capped utilizing Workload Supervisor (WLM). Software that is charged on MSU score is run in this capped LPAR, decreasing costs.
Customers of Sub-Ability pricing might contemplate doing the opposite: consolidating LPARs. This minimizes CPU usage by reducing the overhead of working a z/OS graphic.
Look into similar items.
Compare the price of competing products, and contemplate shifting to cheaper Smart School Bus Tracker ones. For instance, SAS consumers might consider the SAS substitution item WPS by World Programming.
It truly is correct that in some instances moving to distinct merchandise can be extremely hard and high-priced. Nevertheless it isn’t really automatically so, and a lot of distributors provide migration resources to ease this discomfort.
Tune your systems.
Tuning your systems reduces CPU usage (very good for Sub-Capacity pricing customers), and delays updates to larger processors.
Shift off the Mainframe.
Mainframe CPU sources are expensive when in contrast with other platforms. So it might be well worth thinking about migrating some of your workload. For illustration:
Application products such as Tachyon Assembler Workbench and Microfocus Mainframe Specific allow you to complete Mainframe computer software development on Windows and UNIX platforms.
Some goods this sort of as Websphere Company Provider Bus and CICS Transaction Gateway daemon run on each z/OS and other platforms.
Some workloads might very easily be moved to other platforms. SOA and connected services now tends to make Mainframe providers and information less difficult to obtain from other platforms.
Up grade your Mainframe.
For the earlier few of zSeries processor generations IBM has been providing a 10% MSU ‘discount’. In other phrases, a z10 processor will have an MSU ranking that is around 10% reduce than an equivalent z9 processor. This translates to software license value cost savings.
Invest in Speciality Processors.
IBM now gives Speciality Processors this kind of as the Built-in Info Processor (zIIP) and Application Aid Processor (zAAP). These particular processors are not able to do ‘normal’ perform, but can be offered particular function by standard Mainframe processors. This can increase the performance of Java apps and other subsystems this sort of as DB2. But the interesting gain is that the work accomplished by these processors isn’t going to count in the direction of your CPU use if you use Sub-Capacity Pricing.
Many new software goods are also off-loading function onto these Speciality Processors, like software from BMC and CA.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that utilizing any of these ten approaches is a big project, and demands to be done routinely. Even so you do have some tools to make this less difficult.
Use Application. IBMs Tivoli License Compliance Supervisor (replacing Isogon SoftAudit for z/OS and Ubiquity Dorana) will routinely record all computer software set up, who uses it, and how often.
Safety Software program. Mainframe protection software program has services that can assist you observe application utilization. For instance, enabling RACF plan manage to log obtain to specific applications can inform you who is using a item, and how typically.
IBM. IBM offer a free of charge Sub-Potential preparing resource to assist you prepare for Sub Capacity licensing.
Software program Vendors. Inquire them for details about software program items you previously have, and options they could have for your current software program.
Your Methods Programmer. You key weapon in the combat in opposition to software licensing expenses. Methods Programmers install and customise all your z/OS computer software, so they normally know what it does, and probably who employs it. They can also set up checking to figure out who is making use of which software and how often, and will be your scout when searching for different application products and freeware.