Mainframe Cost Reduction

The IBM mainframe running z/OS has unique cost attribution requirements compared to distributed systems; this increases the importance of reducing software and hardware costs which contribute over half of the installation costs. Both hardware and software costs are driven by capacity requirements so there is a crucial role for capacity management to play in reducing these costs.

Need

• Identify business areas using resources
• Measure the quantity of resources used by business areas
• Attribute costs to business areas
• Influence business use of resources
• Identify tuning possibilities
• Take advantage of beneficial licensing models
• Make use of new functions that reduce peak loads and therefore reduce the capacity required
• Take advantage of specialty engines

Challenges

• Declining use of mainframe systems
• Difficulty in identifying workloads
• Difficulty in identifying business users
• Lack of cross-charging mechanism
• Incumbent cross-charging mechanism may not influence the correct user behaviours
• Lack of technically skilled personnel
• Ineffective capacity management process

Our Service

Our staff have both understanding of how costs can be avoided and technical skills that allow us to measure what resources are being used and by whom :

• Review of processes
  • Capacity Management
  • Cross-charging (example of cross-charging method review below)

  

• Review of software licensing
  • Pay for what’s used not what you could use
  • ‘Clean machine’ approach

• Cost-attribution
  • Identify resources being used
  • Attribute the use of resources to customers
  • Cross-charge customers based on usage

• Review of technology
  • Capacity groups in LPARs
  • zIPPs and zAPPs

• Workload management and tuning
  • Use WLM to make capacity utilisation more effective within service requirements
  • Identify and correct system efficiencies

Capacitas can provide staff as and when needed at short notice. Our staff can use existing toolsets or recommend tool purchases as required.

Features & Benefits

Delivering Results

• Reduce hardware and software costs
• Reduce TCO of installation
• Influence user behaviour
• Create cost-saving culture for ongoing benefits

Flexible Resourcing

• Multiple staff can be used as-and-when needed, enabling the customer to ramp up and down effort quickly and cost-effectively
• Staff only used when needed – no on-going charges compared to permanent staff or contractors
• Work can be conducted on-site or off-site (e.g. over VPNs) if appropriate

Value-for-Money

• Our team combines analysts and experienced mainframe service managers, thereby creating an average daily rate comparable with contract staff
• Complete turn-key solution possible using our services

Pragmatic Approach

• Conduct a risk assessment to identify what does and does not need attention
• Able to define requirements on a project-by-project basis

Cost and Service Focused Expertise:

• Ability to understand the implications of service of cost-reduction exercises
• Ability to understand the cost implications of service improvements

Example Customers

• PGDS

Next Steps

• Review the Resources section on this page
• To email for further information click here
• Call our offices on +44 (0) 20 7841 9950 to arrange a meeting