IBM z/OS - page 7

The new IBM ^ zSeries Application Assist

Processor (zAAP), planned to be available on the IBM

^ zSeries 990 (z990) and zSeries 890 (z890) serv-

ers, is an attractively priced specialized processing unit

that provides strategic z/OS Java execution environment

for customers who desire the powerful integration advan-

tages and traditional Qualities of Service a of the zSeries

platform.

When conﬁ gured with general purpose Central Processors

(CPs) within logical partitions running z/OS, zAAPs can

help you to extend the value of your existing zSeries

investments and strategically integrate and run e-business

Java workloads on the same server as your database,

helping to simplify and reduce the infrastructure required

for Web applications while helping to lower your overall

total cost of ownership.

zAAPs are designed to operate asynchronously with the

general purpose CPs to execute Java programming under

control of the IBM Java Virtual Machine (JVM). This can

help reduce the demands and capacity requirements

on general purpose CPs which may then be available

for reallocation to other zSeries workloads. The amount

of general purpose CP savings may vary based on the

amount of Java application code executed by zAAP(s).

And best of all, IBM JVM processing cycles can be

executed on the conﬁ gured zAAPs with no anticipated

modiﬁ cations to the Java application(s). Execution of the

JVM processing cycles on a zAAP is a function of the IBM

Software Developer’s Kit (SDK) for z/OS Java 2 Technology

Edition, z/OS 1.6 (or z/OS.e 1.6) and the innovative

Processor Resource/Systems Manager™ (PR/SM™).

Notably execution of the Java applications on zAAPs,

within the same z/OS LPAR as their associated database

subsystems, can also help simplify the server infrastruc-

tures and improve operational efﬁ ciencies. For example,

use of zAAPs to strategically integrate Java Web applica-

tions with backend databases could reduce the number of

TCP/IP programming stacks, ﬁ rewalls, and physical inter-

connections (and their associated processing) that might

otherwise be required when the application servers and

their database servers are deployed on separate physical

server platforms.

Essentially, zAAPs allow customers to purchase additional

processing power exclusively for z/OS Java application

execution without affecting the total MSU rating or machine

model designation. Conceptually, zAAPs are very similar to

a System Assist Processor (SAP); they cannot execute an

Initial Program Load and only assist the general purpose

CPs for the execution of Java programming. Moreover,

IBM does not impose software charges on zAAP capacity.

Additional IBM software charges will apply when additional

general purpose CP capacity is used.

Customers are encouraged to contact their speciﬁ c ISVs/

USVs directly to determine if their charges will be affected.

With the introduction of the z990, customers can expect to

see the following performance improvements:

Number of CPs Base Ratio

1 z900 2C1 1.54 - 1.61

8 z900 2C8 1.52 - 1.56

16 z900 2C16 1.51 - 1.55

32 z900 2C16 2.46 - 2.98

Note: Greater than 16 CPs requires a minimum of two operating

system images

The Large System Performance Reference (LSPR) should

be referenced when considering performance on the z990.

Visit: ibm.com/servers/eserver/zseries/lspr/ for more infor-

mation on LSPR.