An Introduction to ThruPut Manager®

What is ThruPut Manager®?

ThruPut Manager® is an MVS and OS/390 system software product that complements and enhances JES2 and Workload Manager to provide a fully automated batch management solution.

ThruPut Manager takes automated actions at job submission and job selection time, dynamically managing your batch workload and datacenter resources according to your installation standards.

ThruPut Manager builds on the facilities of JES2 and Workload Manager. The result is a complete 'System Managed Batch' solution. Batch workload management becomes truly automated, and the system manages itself.

The Power of Automated Job Analysis

The power of ThruPut Manager comes from its automated job analysis. As each job enters the system, ThruPut Manager identifies job characteristics such as the user, account and source of submission. Resource requirements are also determined, such as tape drive requirements, programs invoked and datasets needed.

The installation is not dependent on its users to specify such information. As a result, the profile of information about each job is accurate and complete. Reliable knowledge of the incoming workload is the foundation on which ThruPut Manager builds its automated batch management.

The Control of Installation Rules

Each installation tailors ThruPut Manager with the product's Job Action Language, or JAL. JAL is a high-level rules language, similar to the rules language of SMS, specifically designed for batch standards and control.

A Buffer between the Datacenter and the User

ThruPut Manager provides a buffer between the datacenter and the user. The installation is now free to change its environment without user impact. At the same time, more control is provided over the workload, and datacenter objectives for batch service and thruput can be more easily met.

ThruPut Manager® Components

Base Components

The ThruPut Manager base components provide submission-time control over job standards and job setup.

Job Classing Services

 Execution classes and priorities are assigned automatically, based on job characteristics and resource requirements - all according to your installation's rules. Support for the new batch facilities of Workload Manager include the assignment of WLM service classes and scheduling environments.

SYSOUT Services

 All SYSOUT and OUTPUT related JCL parameters can be examined and modified using JAL rules. SYSOUT standards management is simplified and automated.

Job Setup Services

 Media handlers are notified of setup requirements when the job is submitted, and setup jobs can be held until the required cartridges are pulled. System thruput is improved by eliminating initiator waits on mounts and HSM recalls.

Optional Components

 The ThruPut Manager optional components provide execution-time control over resource management and utilization.

TM/Job Binding ServicesTM

The execution of jobs that require "binding" to a database or other resource is automatically controlled. Workload routing among multiple processors is fully automated under control of installation rules. Also, initiator resources can be protected from "hogging" or over-utilization by automatically limiting the number of jobs with similar characteristics or resource requirements running concurrently.

TM/Dataset Contention ServicesTM

Dataset conflicts are resolved under control of your programmable rules. Contention delays are minimized and your important workload gets priority.

TM/Robotic Setup ServicesTM

Robotics systems are enhanced by improving JES2 management of cartridge jobs. Unattended operations are facilitated. Thruput and utilization of your robotics hardware investment are maximized.

TM/End User ServicesTM

Provides JCL-based controls for users to sequence, schedule and hold their own jobs. Operators no longer intervene manually to provide users with such services. This component provides JES2 users with a JES3-compatible "//*NET" facility.

ThruPut Manager® - Who can Benefit?

Installations will find ThruPut Manager to be of particular benefit if they are dealing with batch issues such as:
  • "batch window" problems
  • workload or datacenter consolidation
  • Parallel Sysplex implementation
  • JES2 mods and exits which can no longer be supported
  • Running out of job classes
  • Implementing the new Workload Manager support

Virtually every JES2 installation can benefit from the automated batch management facilities of ThruPut Manager. Whether an installation runs 500 or 50,000 jobs per day, ThruPut Manager's standards enforcement and resource management will improve batch thruput and resource utilization.

ThruPut Manager® Examples

Some specific examples of ThruPut Manager capabilities

Using Classing to reclass non-production jobs that need 3-5 tape drives to class H

 

  $UNIT_MANUAL 0,TAPES0,1,TAPES1_OR_2,3,TAPES3_TO_5,6,TAPES6_UP

  EVALUATE CA7JOB ($CA7(YES))

  EVALUATE PRODACCT ($ACCTFLD(1,PROD))

  EVALUATE PRODJOB (CA7JOB & PRODACCT)

  EVALUATE NONPRODJ(¬PRODJOB)

  

  IF (NONPRODJ & TAPES3_TO_5)

      SET CLASS(H)

  ENDIF

Using Job Setup Services to issue HSM recalls before the job starts

 

  /*  CHECK IF RECALLS NEEDED  */

  $HRECALL  0,NORECALL,1,RECALLS

  /* HOW MANY RECALLS?  */

  $HRECALL  0,NORECS,1,ONEREC,2,FEWRECS,4,MANYRECS

  

  IF (RECALLS)

      IF (ONEREC)    /* 1 DATASET TO RECALL */

	   /* MAY AS WELL HOLD UNTIL COMPLETE, MAX 5 MINUTES */

          JSS RECALL ALL MAX_WAIT(5)

      ORIF (FEWRECS) /* 2 OR 3 DATASETS TO RECALL */

           /* ALLOW MAX 10 MINUTES */

          JSS RECALL ALL MAX-WAIT(10)

      ORIF (MANYRECS) /* 4 OR MORE DATASETS TO RECALL */

           /* ALWAYS HOLD FOR 15 MINS THEN RELEASE  */

          JSS RECALL ALL DELAY_FOR(15)

      ENDIF

  ENDIF

Using Binding to Route Cobol compiles to licenced processors

 

  $PROGRAM  COBOL1 (IKFCBL00)

  $PROGRAM  COBOL2 (IGYCRCTL)

  EVALUATE COBOLCOMP (COBOL1 | COBOL2)

  

  IF (COBOLCOMP)

      JBS ADD BIND (COBOL.COMPILER)

      JBS SET SYSAFF (ANY)

  ENDIF

Using Limiting to Restrict departments to 10 concurrent jobs and users to 3

 

  EVAL CA7JOB ($CA7(YES))

  EVAL PRODACCT ($ACCTFLD(1,PROD))

  EVAL PRODJOB (CA7JOB & PRODACCT)

  EVAL NONPRODJ(¬PRODJOB)



  JLS_LIMITDEF USERLIM LEVEL1('TESTUSER') +

      LEVEL2($RACFU) LIMIT(3)



  JLS_LIMITDEF DEPTLIM LEVEL1('TESTGRP') +

      LEVEL2($RACFG) LIMIT(10)



  IF (NONPRODJ)

      JLS ADD LIMIT (USERLIM) /* TIE JOB TO LIMIT FOR THIS USER */

      JLS ADD LIMIT (DEPTLIM) /* TIE JOB TO LIMIT FOR THIS GROUP */

  ENDIF

ThruPut Manager® and Workload Manager

ThruPut Manager® complements and enhances Workload Manager (WLM) and its WLM-managed initiators as it has enhanced JES2 for the last 11 years. All ThruPut Manager functionality is available to WLM initiators, due in part to participation from IBM's WLM and JES2 development team and MVS Solutions' new position as an IBM Partner in Development.

IBM’s WLM-managed initiators, available beginning with OS/390 Version 2 Release 4, offer a number of advantages for batch management over that provided by JES2. These include management of the queue time for batch jobs and management of the number and optimal placement of initiators required to meet your goals, all based on your Service Class definitions. However, WLM also offers challenges, particularly in controlling the standards for parameters, such as Job Class and Service Class, that have a major impact on the decisions made by WLM and therefore on your ability to meet your goals.

ThruPut Manager helps you meet those challenges and take control of your data center. ThruPut Manager and its components gives you control of:

  • the Job Class, a key element in determining how a job is managed,
  • the Service Class, which can be set directly by your rules,
  • workload routing, through the Job Binding Services application,
  • the SCHENV parameter, should you wish to use IBM's Resource Affinity Scheduling feature without JCL changes,
  • consumable resources such as tape drives, which are not managed by WLM, and
  • enqueue contention and other delays that can skew WLM's statistics.

For more information on Thruput Manager, please call or email.Contact details