Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments
On Tue, 1 Jun 2010 09:58:06 -0500, Glen Gasior wrote: >*There is theory and there is reality. If you have a shop where the software >management process is essentially whatever was a good idea at the time, >software and hardware upgrades will be painfully time consuming unless you >are willing to accept outages.* >*If the system has been designed to be easy to maintain and has implemented >simplification, standardization and automation, then software and hardware >upgrades can be surprisingly economical, except for the person with the >vision and knowledge to accomplish this, that person will probably be >expensive, so throw your corporate salary schedule out the window.* Spot on. The question becomes analagous to the entire mainframe (big server) vs "chickenplex" question: "Would your rather plow with an Ox, or with 10,000 Chickens?" Said another way: Pay a small number of highly skilled technicians to build and maintain your environment to a higher RAS standard, or pay a larger number of trained firefighters to keep the shop from burning down. I argue a shop needs both skill sets, but with an emphasis on developing a fire-resistant architecture. I'm willing to pay decent money for contractors that understand and meet fire code specifications for connecting my garage, so the firefighters have ample time to prevent a garage fire from taking my house, but I'm also glad I have a fire station within two miles (and I'm as willing to pay my taxes to keep them close). Regards, Art Gutowski Ford Motor Company -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments
*There is theory and there is reality. If you have a shop where the software management process is essentially whatever was a good idea at the time, software and hardware upgrades will be painfully time consuming unless you are willing to accept outages.* ** *If the system has been designed to be easy to maintain and has implemented simplification, standardization and automation, then software and hardware upgrades can be surprisingly economical, except for the person with the vision and knowledge to accomplish this, that person will probably be expensive, so throw your corporate salary schedule out the window.* On Fri, May 28, 2010 at 4:19 PM, Kopischke, David G. < dgkopisc...@oppenheimerfunds.com> wrote: > I know this has been discussed many times in the past, but I thought I'd > bring it up again. > > Does anyone know of any research involving recommendations for staffing > levels for z shops ??? And what it is based on; MIPS, Employee count, > etc ??? > > Thanks again, >Dave K. > > > > -- > This e-mail transmission may contain information that is proprietary, > privileged and/or confidential and is intended exclusively for the person(s) > to whom it is addressed. Any use, copying, retention or disclosure by any > person other than the intended recipient or the intended recipient's > designees is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient or > their designee, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and > delete all copies. OppenheimerFunds may, at its sole discretion, monitor, > review, retain and/or disclose the content of all email communications. > > == > > -- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO > Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html > -- Glen J. Gasior (630) 712-2104 Chicago, Illinois 60611 "Leadership that improves the process of change" Simplification of an IT system has many rewards. It can address the need for skills by making existing personnel more productive and by reducing the time needed for someone new to gain proficiency on the platform. It can address overall operational efficiency by reducing the components and steps for tasks, and by streamlining existing processes. It can address quality of service and availability by reducing the time involved with addressing a problem, or by reducing the probability of the error even being introduced. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments
How about this depends + 2, If the staff is knowledgeable and the environment is not that complex, let's say a shop of size of between 5-10 lpars then 2-3 people would be able to perform this. The more lpars, with different product mixes becomes more complex and the number of people goes up accordingly. Thanks Ms. Terri E. Shaffer terri.e.shaf...@jpmchase.com Engineer J.P.Morgan Chase & Co. GTI DCT ECS Core Services zSoftware Group / Emerging Technologies Office: # 614-213-3467 Cell: # 412-519-2592 -Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:ibm-m...@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Gibney, Dave Sent: Friday, May 28, 2010 5:58 PM To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Subject: Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments I'll tell my situation publically. The CICS guy is retiring at the end of June. My Boss/Adabas DBA left for greener pastures a couple months ago. Two others in the group with "limited" skill and one new 25 something, who is sure to be pirated away soon. Yes, I'm a small shop (1 prod, 1 development, 2 sandbox LPARS) z9BC-L03. I'm just going to do the best I can and see where we get. It's unlikely we'll replace them (just starting the 5 years to leave the mainframe project here) and we can't pay competitive salary anyway. I'd leave myself, but I really like where I live. Dave Gibney Information Technology Services Washington State University > -Original Message- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:ibm-m...@bama.ua.edu] On > Behalf Of Matthew Stitt > Sent: Friday, May 28, 2010 2:50 PM > To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu > Subject: Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments > > Sometimes I cringe at this topic. Here is my take: > > It depends. > > What is the historical staffing level? > > What is the skill level of the staff? > > What is size of the work load to be performed? > > How comfortable is management with the size of the staff and their > load? > > I know of companies with good sized installations and a very small > staff, > sometimes only one technical person for the mainframe environment. > Conversely I know companies with just the opposite on both ends (small > installation and large staff). > > YMMV > > And if you want something to think on, I'll tell you my situation > privately. > > > On Fri, 28 May 2010 15:19:50 -0600, Kopischke, David G. > wrote: > > >I know this has been discussed many times in the past, but I thought > I'd > >bring it up again. > > > >Does anyone know of any research involving recommendations for > staffing > >levels for z shops ??? And what it is based on; MIPS, Employee count, > >etc ??? > > > >Thanks again, > >Dave K. > > > > -- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO > Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html This communication is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument or as an official confirmation of any transaction. All market prices, data and other information are not warranted as to completeness or accuracy and are subject to change without notice. Any comments or statements made herein do not necessarily reflect those of JPMorgan Chase & Co., its subsidiaries and affiliates. This transmission may contain information that is privileged, confidential, legally privileged, and/or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the information contained herein (including any reliance thereon) is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Although this transmission and any attachments are believed to be free of any virus or other defect that might affect any computer system into which it is received and opened, it is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that it is virus free and no responsibility is accepted by JPMorgan Chase & Co., its subsidiaries and affiliates, as applicable, for any loss or damage arising in any way from its use. If you received this transmission in error, please immediately contact the sender and destroy the material in its entirety, whether in electronic or hard copy format. Thank you. Please refer to http://www.jpmorgan.com/pages/disclosures for disclosures relating to E
Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments
From: Matthew Stitt To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Sent: Fri, May 28, 2010 4:50:14 PM Subject: Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments Sometimes I cringe at this topic. Here is my take: It depends. What is the historical staffing level? What is the skill level of the staff? What is size of the work load to be performed? How comfortable is management with the size of the staff and their load? I know of companies with good sized installations and a very small staff, sometimes only one technical person for the mainframe environment. Conversely I know companies with just the opposite on both ends (small installation and large staff). Y Matthew: Of course you are correct but let us add this 2 qualifying statements as well. 1. How many OEM products does the place has. 2. How many mods to the OS are there? 3. How many online systems are there? There is no one for one example but these numbers have to be worked out and are at best guesses as the more complex the system is the more staffing is needed. Number 2 number should be low/none but for some reason shops still modify Z/OS. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments
I'll tell my situation publically. The CICS guy is retiring at the end of June. My Boss/Adabas DBA left for greener pastures a couple months ago. Two others in the group with "limited" skill and one new 25 something, who is sure to be pirated away soon. Yes, I'm a small shop (1 prod, 1 development, 2 sandbox LPARS) z9BC-L03. I'm just going to do the best I can and see where we get. It's unlikely we'll replace them (just starting the 5 years to leave the mainframe project here) and we can't pay competitive salary anyway. I'd leave myself, but I really like where I live. Dave Gibney Information Technology Services Washington State University > -Original Message- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:ibm-m...@bama.ua.edu] On > Behalf Of Matthew Stitt > Sent: Friday, May 28, 2010 2:50 PM > To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu > Subject: Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments > > Sometimes I cringe at this topic. Here is my take: > > It depends. > > What is the historical staffing level? > > What is the skill level of the staff? > > What is size of the work load to be performed? > > How comfortable is management with the size of the staff and their > load? > > I know of companies with good sized installations and a very small > staff, > sometimes only one technical person for the mainframe environment. > Conversely I know companies with just the opposite on both ends (small > installation and large staff). > > YMMV > > And if you want something to think on, I'll tell you my situation > privately. > > > On Fri, 28 May 2010 15:19:50 -0600, Kopischke, David G. > wrote: > > >I know this has been discussed many times in the past, but I thought > I'd > >bring it up again. > > > >Does anyone know of any research involving recommendations for > staffing > >levels for z shops ??? And what it is based on; MIPS, Employee count, > >etc ??? > > > >Thanks again, > >Dave K. > > > > -- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO > Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments
I know this has been discussed many times in the past, but I thought I'd bring it up again. Does anyone know of any research involving recommendations for staffing levels for z shops ??? And what it is based on; MIPS, Employee count, etc ??? -- In my last shop, that number was based on the number and complexity of add-on products. CICS was a full man, MVS was a full man, DB II and IDMS were 1/2 man each, and so on. We had a fairly small number of OEM software products, so we had only two people to handle all that, and storage management was considered 1/8 man (one man for an hour a day.) Naturally the actual time spent varied, but the numbers seemed to work out reasonably well. Rick -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: Staffing Levels for zServer Environments
Sometimes I cringe at this topic. Here is my take: It depends. What is the historical staffing level? What is the skill level of the staff? What is size of the work load to be performed? How comfortable is management with the size of the staff and their load? I know of companies with good sized installations and a very small staff, sometimes only one technical person for the mainframe environment. Conversely I know companies with just the opposite on both ends (small installation and large staff). YMMV And if you want something to think on, I'll tell you my situation privately. On Fri, 28 May 2010 15:19:50 -0600, Kopischke, David G. wrote: >I know this has been discussed many times in the past, but I thought I'd >bring it up again. > >Does anyone know of any research involving recommendations for staffing >levels for z shops ??? And what it is based on; MIPS, Employee count, >etc ??? > >Thanks again, >Dave K. > -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Staffing Levels for zServer Environments
I know this has been discussed many times in the past, but I thought I'd bring it up again. Does anyone know of any research involving recommendations for staffing levels for z shops ??? And what it is based on; MIPS, Employee count, etc ??? Thanks again, Dave K. -- This e-mail transmission may contain information that is proprietary, privileged and/or confidential and is intended exclusively for the person(s) to whom it is addressed. Any use, copying, retention or disclosure by any person other than the intended recipient or the intended recipient's designees is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient or their designee, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies. OppenheimerFunds may, at its sole discretion, monitor, review, retain and/or disclose the content of all email communications. == -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
