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Latest modernizations in RMF for z/OS

  

With the constant developments in Resource Measurement Facility for z/OS (RMF for z/OS), reflecting on its progress is interesting. This blog highlights the latest enhancements and features in RMF for z/OS 3.1 that enable us to demonstrate innovations and respond to the changing needs of our customers. So, what are the exciting developments in the new version of RMF for z/OS 3.1? Let's dive in and find out.

Introduction of IBM RMF for z/OS Grafana Plugin

The IBM RMF for z/OS Grafana plugin is designed to make exploring and analyzing RMF Monitor III metrics and reports within the Grafana platform easier. By leveraging this plugin, users can create customized dashboards and visualizations that provide real-time insights into system performance. This can help identify potential issues before they become serious problems, optimize resource usage, and improve overall system performance.

Here's an image of a sample dashboard from Grafana that showcases the Performance Index by Service Class Period and the Performance Index by Report Class Period. The dashboard is designed to provide you with a visual representation of these indices, which can help you better understand the performance of your services and reports.

With the IBM RMF for z/OS Grafana plugin, users can effectively explore and analyze RMF Monitor III metrics to manage and optimize the IBM mainframe environment.

For more information about the usage of the plugin, refer to the IBM RMF for z/OS Grafana Plugin documentation.

Enhanced Monitor III reports

The following reports have been enhanced to provide additional functionality:

·      STORC report

Common Storage (STORC) in RMF for z/OS typically contains information about different types of storage. By separating RUCSA from CSA and ERUCSA from ECSA, the report provides a more precise breakdown of these storage types. This enhanced separation allows users to understand better how memory resources are allocated and used within the system.

·      CPC report

The Central Processor Complex (CPC) report now provides a more detailed and accurate representation of LPAR usage. You can now view the LPAR usage values with up to two decimal places, enabling more precise system performance analysis. This enhancement is aimed at improving your capacity planning and resource allocation decisions.

·      WLMGL report

In the latest Workload Activity (WLMGL) report update, new columns have been added that provide valuable insights into response time and resource consumption data. These new columns, including ENCLAVE TRANS, AVG, END/S, ENC/DEL, TR/ENC, and ENC-TR-TM, offer a more detailed overview of the workload activity and help to identify potential performance issues. This additional information makes optimizing resource allocation and ensuring efficient performance across the system more accessible.

·      PROCU report

Analyzing CPU usage is one of the most critical aspects of monitoring system performance. The Processor Usage (PROCU) report offers an enhanced way to track CPU usage by the processor in milliseconds. Understanding CPU usage in milliseconds can help identify processes or services that are consuming excessive CPU time, allowing you to take swift action to resolve any problems that may arise.

The following image displays the Processor Usage report from the Grafana platform. This report can provide valuable insights into the usage of the processor in milliseconds and help you optimize its performance.

And the enhancement list goes on. The RMF for z/OS 3.1 documentation is an excellent resource for learning about all the new features and enhancements.

Upgrading to RMF for z/OS 3.1 is the perfect opportunity to explore all its new features and capabilities. Take advantage of this opportunity today and experience the benefits of RMF for z/OS 3.1.

Thank you for reading.