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Draft Document for Review April 7, 2004 6:15 pm

servers in the take-over site to restore processing power for mission-critical production workloads. GDPS automation will:

￿Perform the analysis required to determine the scope of the failure; this minimizes operator intervention and the potential for errors.

￿Automate authentication and activation of the reserved CPs.

￿Automatically restart the critical applications after reserved CP activation.

￿Reduce the outage time to restart critical workloads from several hours to minutes.

8.6Nondisruptive upgrades

Continuous availability is an increasingly important requirement for most customers, and even planned outages are no longer acceptable. Although Parallel Sysplex clustering technology is the best continuous availability solution for z/OS and OS/390 environments, nondisruptive upgrades within a single server can avoid system outages and are suitable to further operating system environments.

The z990 servers allow concurrent upgrades, meaning they can dynamically add more

capacity to the server. If operating system images running on the upgraded server need no disruptive tasks to use the new capacity, the upgrade is also nondisruptive. This means that

Power-on Resets (PORs), logical partition deactivations, and IPLs do not have to take place.

If the concurrent upgrade is intended to satisfy an “image upgrade” to a logical partition, the operating system running in this partition must also have the capability to concurrently configure more capacity online. z/OS and OS/390 operating systems have this capability. z/VM can concurrently configure new processors and I/O devices online, but it does not support dynamic storage reconfiguration.

Linux operating systems do not have the capability of adding more resources concurrently. However, Linux virtual machines running under z/VM can take advantage of the z/VM capability to nondisruptively configure more resources online (processors and I/O).

Important: Dynamic add/delete of a logical partition name allows reserved partition ‘slots’ to be created in an IOCDS in the form of extra logical channel subsystem, Multiple Image Facility (MIF) image pairs, which can be later assigned a logical partition name for use (or later removed) via HCD, concurrently.

Important: If the z990 STI Rebalance feature (FC 2400) is selected at server upgrade configuration time, and effectively results in STI rebalancing, the server upgrade will be disruptive and this outage must be planned. The z990 STI Rebalance feature may also change the Physical Channel ID (PCHID) number of ICB-4 links, requiring a corresponding update on the server’s I/O definition via HCD/HCM.

Processors

CPs, IFLs, ICFs, and/or zAAPs processors can be concurrently added to a z990 server if there are spare PUs available on any installed book. The number of zAAPs cannot exceed the number of CPs plus unassigned CPs on a z990 server.

Additional book(s) can also be installed concurrently, allowing further processor upgrades.

A processor upgrade cannot be performed when CBU or On/Off CoD is activated.

208IBM eServer zSeries 990 Technical Guide

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IBM 990 manual Nondisruptive upgrades, Processors
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990 specifications

The IBM 990 series, often referred to in the context of IBM's pioneering efforts in the realm of mainframe computing, represents a unique chapter in the history of information technology. Introduced in the late 1960s, the IBM 990 series was designed as a powerful tool for enterprise-level data processing and scientific calculations, showcasing the company's commitment to advancing computing capabilities.

One of the main features of the IBM 990 was its architecture, which was built to support a wide range of applications, from business processing to complex scientific computations. The system employed a 32-bit word length, which was advanced for its time, allowing for more flexible and efficient data handling. CPUs in the IBM 990 series supported multiple instructions per cycle, which contributed significantly to the overall efficiency and processing power of the machines.

The technology behind the IBM 990 was also notable for its use of solid-state technology. This provided a shift away from vacuum tube systems that were prevalent in earlier computing systems, enhancing the reliability and longevity of the hardware. The IBM 990 series utilized core memory, which was faster and more reliable than the magnetic drum memory systems that had been standard up to that point.

Another defining characteristic of the IBM 990 was its extensibility. Organizations could configure the machine to suit their specific needs by adding memory, storage, and peripheral devices as required. This modular approach facilitated the growth of systems alongside the technological and operational demands of the business environments they served.

In terms of software, the IBM 990 series was compatible with a variety of operating systems and programming environments, including FORTRAN and COBOL, enabling users to access a broader array of applications. This versatility was a significant advantage, making the IBM 990 an appealing choice for educational institutions, research facilities, and enterprises alike.

Moreover, the IBM 990 was engineered to support multiprocessing, which allowed multiple processes to run simultaneously, further increasing its effectiveness in tackling complex computing tasks.

In summary, the IBM 990 series represents a significant advancement in computing technology during the late 20th century. With a robust architecture, versatile configuration options, and a focus on solid-state technology, the IBM 990 facilitated substantial improvements in data processing capabilities, making it a cornerstone for many businesses and academic institutions of its time. Its impact can still be seen today in the continued evolution of mainframe computing.
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