SPARTA News April 2011

April 2011

SPARTA President’s Corner

by Brad Carson

April has brought more that showers to North Carolina this month.  It was not the best of Palm Sunday’s here as we mourn the loss of life from the tornados that touched down around the state on Saturday, April 16th.  We have not had tornado activity like this since 1988 and a person can never get used to the devastation.

Last month Ed Webb and I gave you our “Trip” reports from SHARE in Anaheim.  From my view the main topic from SHARE was z/OSMF.  A good number of sessions were on care, use, and feeding of this large beast in the z/OS world.  I would strongly suggest that you have a look at the proceedings from the SHARE website (if you already haven’t done so).  So many sessions to attend and so little time to do it all.

Here at LabCorp we have managed to migrate our first DB2 V8 subsystem to DB2 V10.  This is our DBM DB2 that we keep running in our sandbox LPAR (TECH).  The migration went very well after we converted all DBRM based plans to packages with package lists.  Then to make things more interesting we fell back to DB2 V8 to validate that path just in case we have to do that for real once we start converting DB2’s on our other LPARs.  So far our biggest headache is waiting for BMC to fully support DB2 V10 for Mainview (2 weeks ago) and their DB2 utilities suite (just last week).  We are just getting that code loaded now and will be moving it up through QAAD and PROD before we move DB2 V10.  Just have to keep reminding people that the single version charge clock is ticking.

The moving from PLANs with DBRM(s) to PACKAGEs is proving to be an interesting issue with the source code management group here.  We are in transition from SCLM to Changeman/ZMF (and have been for two years), and they are balking at having to change their code movement processes for this.  It’s only been on their radar for 10 years now, but always as an afterthought.  Now that the issue is coming to a head we’ll see how they are planning to implement the changes.  Our group will be using the IBM utilities to migrate a DB2 subsystem from plans to packages, they just have to get their maintenance processes right.  I’ll let you know how this goes.

This month Larry Pease from ASG Software will talk to us about their Enterprise Automation Management Suite (EAMS).  I look forward to seeing you all at LabCorp on the 26th.


Future Speakers
(subject to change)


Apr. 26 Enterprise Automation Suite by Larry Pease of ASG Software
May 31 TBD

We need ideas and volunteers for future speakers. Presentations don’t have to be fancy, just informative and interesting. Even a 5 or 10 minute talk can start an interesting interaction. Contact Ron Pimblett by phone as noted below.

2010-2011 SPARTA
Board of Directors

Brad Carson - President
LabCorp 336-436-8294
3060 S. Church St.
Burlington, NC 27215

Ron Pimblett - Vice President
MDI DataSystems 919-426-6518

Raleigh, NC 27615

Mike Lockey - Secretary
Guilford Co. Information Services 336-641-6235
201 N. Eugene St.
Greensboro, NC 27401

Tommy Thomas - Treasurer
LabCorp 336-436-4178
3060 S. Church St. 919-361-7267
Burlington, NC 27215

Ed Webb - Communications Director
SAS Institute 919-531-4162
SAS Campus Drive
Cary, NC 27513

Meetings

Meetings are scheduled for the last Tuesday evening of each month (except no meeting in December), with optional dinner at 6:15 p.m. and the meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m.

These monthly meetings usually are held at LabCorp’s Center for Molecular Biology and Pathology (CMBP) near the Research Triangle Park (see last page). Take I-40 to Miami Boulevard and go north. Turn right onto Alexander Drive. Go about a mile or so. Then turn right into LabCorp complex and turn Left to the CMBP Building. In the lobby, sign in as a visitor to see Tommy Thomas. Tommy will escort you to the conference room.

Call for Articles

If you have any ideas for speakers, presentations, newsletter articles, or are interested in taking part in a presentation, PLEASE contact one of the Board of Directors with your suggestions.

Newsletter e-Mailings

The SPARTA policy is to e-mail a monthly notice to our SPARTA-L Group. The newsletter is posted to the website about five (5) days before each meeting so you can prepare. The SPARTA-L Group is maintained by Brad Carson; if you have corrections or problems receiving your meeting notice, contact Brad at 336-436-8294.

Early 2011 “CBT Tape” Shareware Online

The directory and files from the latest CBT tape V480 (dated January 16, 2011) are available from www.cbttape.org.

If you need help obtaining one or more files, contact Brad Carson at LabCorp or Ed Webb at SAS (see Board of Director’s list for contact info).

Minutes of the March 29, 2011 Meeting

•Meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Brad Carson, the Chapter President.
•The meeting was held at LabCorp in RTP, N.C.
•Thirteen (13) people were present of which twelve (12) were members.
•Everyone in the room introduced themselves, told where they worked, and briefly described their job functions.
•The minutes of the February 2011 meeting were approved as published in the March 2011 newsletter.
•Tommy Thomas, the Chapter Treasurer gave the Treasurer's Report. As of March 19, 2011, the balance is $782.54. Motion was made and approved to accept the Treasurer's Report.

OLD BUSINESS

•Brad reminded everyone that SPARTA membership dues are $30 per year and should be paid soon.

•Articles are needed for this newsletter. If you would like to write an article for this newsletter, please contact Ed Webb. Keep in mind that you don't really need to write the article, it can be an article that you read that you would like to share with the membership.
•The SPARTA Web page is available. To access the SPARTA Web page, point your Web browser to this site: http://www.spartanc.org. Please send any comments or suggestions about the Web page to Mike Lockey. Be sure to check the Web page every once in a while to see any new or changed information.

•Future Speakers and Topics (subject to change based on internal politics, budget, the weather):
- Apr. 26 ASG
- May 31 David Jones IBM, JES3
- June 28 TBD
- July 26 Ann Totten IBM, z/OS 1.12 zFS
- Aug. 30 Durham Bulls
- Sept. 27 SHARE Updates, Presenters TBD
- Oct. 25 UBS Hainer, DB2 BVC5 Copying DB2
- Nov. 22 TBD
- Dec. 27: No meeting

If you have suggestions about speakers and topics, contact Ron Pimblett.

•Brad reminded everyone to keep the conference room clean.
•The April SPARTA meeting will be April 26 at LabCorp in RTP.
•Food for the April meeting will be Pizza.
•A Nominating Committee for the 2011 - 2012 Sparta Board of Directors has been formed. Voting for the SPARTA Board of Directors will be at the April meeting.

NEW BUSINESS

•Thanks to Tommy Thomas of LabCorp for hosting the meeting.
•Brad Carson is reviewing the email addresses used by the SPARTA ListServe; contact Brad with any email address changes.
•The business portion of the meeting ended at 7:50 PM.
•Ed Webb of SAS and Brad Carson of LabCorp presented "SHARE Conference Reports".

The topics Ed talked about were:

Agenda
Highlights
Why Go to SHARE?
Odds and Ends
Best Sessions
z/OSMF R13 Preview
z/OS 1.13 Preview
z/OS Management Facility Round Table
Hardware Instrumentation Services

The topics Brad Carson talked about were:
Agenda
My Exceptions
SHARE Business Update
Sessions Attended
Key Information Learned
Thoughts and Concerns

• Meeting ended at 9:20 PM.

Treasurer’s Report for April 2011

contributed by Tommy Thomas

The balance in the account is $1257.25 as of April 25, 2011.

Financial Report
3/01/2011 through 04/25/2011

Items of Interest


SPARTA Schedule and Menu for 2011

contributed by Tommy Thomas and Chris Blackshire

Apr 26 - Pizza
May 31 - Chicken
Jun. 28 - Subs
July 26 - BarBQ
Aug. 30 - Durham Bulls - buy your own
Sept. 27 - Pizza
Oct. 25 - Chicken
Nov. 29 - Subs
Dec 27 - No Meeting, Happy Holidays!


IBM Announces Windows and Linux on zBX

contributed by Ed Webb

In the third quarter of 2011, IBM intends to offer select IBM System x blades running Linux® on System x in the IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension Model 002.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, IBM intends to offer select IBM System x blades running Microsoft Windows in the IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension Model 002.

See this Announcement Letter 111-078 for details: http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?subtype=ca&infotype=an&appname=iSource&supplier=897&letternum=ENUS111-078


Getting Work onto zIIP Processors

contributed by Ed Webb

Robert Crawford has written a good article about getting more of your processing onto a zIIP. Here’s an excerpt:

“When IBM introduced the zIIP, it sounded like a great idea. Here was an engine that would run at full speed, even on kneecapped processors, and didn't count against capacity-based software licenses. A few minutes later, we found out there were some catches.

Getting onto a zIIP
The first hurdle in getting onto a System z Integrated Information Processor (zIIP) is creating the right kind of dispatchable work unit. zIIP-eligible code must run under enclave Service Request Blocks (SRBs). Sadly, the interface for creating enclave SRBs is unpublished and must be purchased from IBM. This effectively limits the interface for vendors interested in exploiting the new engine type.”

For the complete article, check out this link: http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/tip/Getting-work-onto-zIIP-processors?asrc=EM_NLN_13703045&track=NL-576&ad=827130

(Note: Registration is free but required to read the article)



zEnterprise: No REST for the Wary

contributed by Ed Webb

Jon William Toigo, writing at MainframeZone.com, provides an overview and insight to a deficiency in IBM’s zEnterprise (the combined z196 and zBX machine).

“Integration of the platforms is accomplished using a Unified Resource Manager tool and Gigabit Ethernet network interconnecting the different rigs. Via the Unified Resource Manager, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) information from the Power and Xeon blades is collected so the gear can be managed as another mainframe resource. Additional data is collected from the PowerVM and KVM hypervisors running on the blade servers so, in theory, the x86 hypervisors can be managed like virtual partitions in the mainframe itself.

....

Actually, I have a completely different issue with this cobble. Why is management of the resource pool done via SNMP? I know SNMP has been around for a long time, and over the years I’ve seen real benefits derived from its use. Still, SNMP is a rather archaic protocol....”

Read his complete article on this issue at http://www.mainframezone.com/it-management/it-sense-zenterprise-no-rest-for-the-wary


Humor


Grandma’s Wisdom

contributed by Chris Blackshire

He who takes but never gives may live for years but never lives.

When a person thinks he is always right, there's something wrong.

Intelligence does not mean you are without faults.  It means you recognize
them.

By the time a family has acquired a nest egg, inflation has turned it into chicken feed.

When you are green with envy you are ripe for trouble.

Hard work is the easy things you should have done before.

Surest way to end a friendship is to sponge on it.

The hardest instrument to learn to play is second fiddle.

Never kick a man when he is down. He may get up.

Every one who got where he is came from where he was.

Life is like a game of Golf.  You get out of one hole and into another.

Self pity is self destruction.

Frustration is having no one to blame except yourself.

Inflation is something you paid $5.00 for ten years ago costs $10.00 now to repair.

Be the sort of friend who gives without remembering and receives without forgetting.


My Job Search

contributed by Chris Blackshire

1. My first job was working in an Orange Juice factory, but I got canned. Couldn't concentrate.

2. Then I worked in the woods as a Lumber jack, but just couldn't hack it, so they gave me the axe.

3. After that, I tried being a Tailor, but wasn't suited for it -- mainly because it was a sew-sew job.

4. Next, I tried working in a Muffler Factory, but that was too exhausting.

5. Then, tried being a Chef - figured it would add a little spice to my life, but just didn't have the thyme.

6. Next, I attempted being a Deli Worker, but any way I sliced it... couldn't cut the mustard.

7. My best job was a Musician, but eventually found I wasn't noteworthy.

8. I studied a long time to become a Doctor, but didn't have any patience.

9. Next, was a job in a Shoe Factory. tried hard but just didn't fit in.

10. I became a Professional Fisherman, but discovered I couldn't live on my net income.

11. I managed to get a good job working for a Pool Maintenance company, but the work was just too draining.

12. So then I got a job in a Workout Center, but they said I wasn't fit for the job.  

13. After many years of trying to find steady work, I finally got a job as a Historian - until I realized there was no future in it.

14. My last job was working in Starbucks, but had to quit because it was the same old grind.    

15. So, I tried retirement and I found I'm perfect for the job!  


Always Ask ... Never Assume

contributed by Chris Blackshire

His assignment request approved, the CNN News photographer quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport to charter a flight.

He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him at the airport.

Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger.

He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, 'Let's go'.

The pilot taxied out, swung the plane into the wind and took off.

Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot, 'Fly over the valley and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides.'

'Why?' asked the pilot.

'Because I'm a photographer for CNN' , he responded, 'and I need to get some close up shots.'

The pilot was strangely silent for a moment, finally he stammered, 'So, what you're telling me, is: You're NOT my flight instructor?'


"Life is short. Drink the good wine first"

Membership Information

Don’t Forget the Next SPARTA Meeting

Tuesday, April 26, 2011
7 p.m.

LabCorp in the RTP

Take I-40 to Miami Boulevard and go north. Turn right onto Alexander Drive. Go about a mile or so. Then turn right into LabCorp complex and turn left to the CMBP Building. In the lobby, sign in as a visitor to see Tommy Thomas. Tommy will escort you to the conference room.

Free Food: Pizza, Drink, Dessert

Program:

Enterprise Automation Management Suite

Speaker:

Larry Pease of ASG

SPARTA News
P.O. Box 13194
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3194

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