Since I haven't seen it mentioned yet, I would like to draw your attention to IBM's zHyperLink Statement of Direction, issued earlier this month. First, here's what IBM says in IBM Announcement Letter 117-005:
IBM intends to deliver field upgradable support for zHyperLink on existing IBM System Storage(R) DS8880 machines. zHyperLink is a short-distance, mainframe-attach link designed for up to 10x lower latency than High Performance FICON. zHyperLink is intended to speed up DB2(R) for z/OS(R) transaction processing and improve active log throughput. Please note the usual IBM disclaimer in IBM's Statements of Direction, that plans are subject to change. IBM has also released a Q&A on zHyperLink, available here: https://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/zs/en/zsq03109usen/ZSQ03109USEN.PDF And this blog post provides even more information: https://mainframedebate.com/2017/01/10/zhyperlinks-and-the-jump-to-hyper-space/amp/ To get ready for zHyperLinks: 1. Talk with your "friendly IBM storage representative" about upgrading to Release 8.2 on your IBM DS8880 series storage system, planned to be a concurrent upgrade. If you don't have IBM DS8880 series storage yet, then that's another reason to chat. 2. If you're planning any movement of equipment in your data center, please anticipate that you might directly connect one or more of your IBM DS8880 series storage systems to one or more of your IBM z Systems. That is, try to keep (at least some of) your IBM z Systems and your IBM DS8880 series storage systems at least relatively close together so that they're within 150 meter cable distances. 3. Stay at least reasonably current on your z/OS and DB2 releases, ideally pushing forward to z/OS 2.2 and DB2 12 on at least one of your LPARs as soon as practical. I have to assume there will be some minimum release levels to support zHyperLinks, so it's best if you can get into a ready position now. 4. Monitor IBM sources of information, including the Preventive Service Planning (PSP) buckets where future PTFs are expected to be available for z/OS and for DB2 to enable zHyperLinks support. 5. If you are considering application or information system deployments that might or might not connect to DB2 for z/OS -- that you're trying to make a decision, or have recently made an adverse decision, about connecting to DB2 -- then I would take a fresh look at whether and how zHyperLinks would impact such decisions. Said another way, if you based (or are basing) decisions on today's excellent DB2 for z/OS performance and value-for-money, it would be wise to start incorporating expectations of significant performance and value-for-money improvements into such IT decisions. When the world is highly likely to change for the better, it's rational and reasonable to take stock of that new world. According to the information IBM has provided, zHyperLinks will complement but not replace FICON connections. I recommend exploiting all the latest FICON improvements, too. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Timothy Sipples IT Architect Executive, Industry Solutions, IBM z Systems, AP/GCG/MEA E-Mail: [email protected] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
