Using MVS workload manager

To use the MVS™ workload manager facility:

  1. Implement workload management on the MVS images that the CICS® workload is to run on, as outlined in Implementing MVS workload management.
  2. Ensure that CICS performance parameters correspond to the policies defined for MVS workload management, as outlined in Matching CICS performance parameters to service policies.
  3. Activate MVS workload manager, as outlined in Activating CICS support for MVS workload manager.

Implementing MVS workload management

The task of implementing MVS workload management is part of the overall task of planning for, and installing, z/OS®.

Implementing MVS workload management generally involves the following steps:

  1. Establish your workloads.
  2. Set your business priorities.
  3. Understand your performance objectives.
  4. Define critical work.
  5. Define performance objectives based on current:
  6. Get agreement for your workload performance objectives.
  7. Specify a service level agreement or performance objectives.
  8. Specify an MVS WLM service definition using the information from step 7.
    Note:
    It is helpful at this stage to record your service definition in a form that will help you to enter it into the MVS workload manager ISPF application. You are recommended to use the worksheets provided in the MVS publication Planning: Workload Management.
  9. Install MVS.
  10. Set up a sysplex with a single MVS image, and run in workload manager compatibility mode.
  11. Upgrade your existing XCF couple data set.
  12. Start the MVS workload manager ISPF application, and use it in the following steps.
  13. Allocate and format a new couple data set for workload management. (You can do this from the ISPF application.)
  14. Define your service definition.
  15. Install your service definition on the couple data set for workload management.
  16. Activate a service policy.
  17. Switch the MVS image into goal mode.
  18. Start up a new MVS image in the sysplex. (That is, attach the new MVS image to the couple data set for workload management, and link it to the service policy.)
  19. Switch the new MVS image into goal mode.
  20. Repeat steps 18 and 19 for each new MVS image in the sysplex.
Notes:
  1. CICS Transaction Server for z/OS support for MVS workload manager is initialized automatically during CICS startup.
  2. All CICS regions (and other MVS subsystems) running on an MVS image with MVS workload management are subject to the effects of workload manager.

Matching CICS performance parameters to service policies

You must ensure that the CICS performance parameters are compatible with the workload manager service policies used for the CICS workload.

In general, you should define CICS performance objectives to the MVS workload manager first, and observe the effect on CICS performance. Once the MVS workload manager definitions are working correctly, you can then consider tuning the CICS parameters to further enhance CICS performance. However, you should use CICS performance parameters as little as possible.

Performance attributes that you might consider using are:

Activating CICS support for MVS workload manager

CICS support for MVS workload manager is initialized automatically during CICS startup.

Customer-written resource managers and other non-CICS code which is attached to CICS via the RMI must be modified to provide workload manager support, if workload manager is to work correctly for CICS-based tasks which cross the RMI into such areas.

Related tasks
Defining performance goals for MVS Workload Manager
Setting up service definitions for MVS Workload Manager

Related concepts
MVS workload manager
Terms used in MVS workload management
Span of MVS workload manager operation
CICSPlex SM workload management
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