IBM System z is well known for its reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS). So how can your enterprise obtain all this benefit, along with low total cost of ownership (TCO) and excellent centralized administration? And what other benefits can you realize by implementing a Parallel Sysplex configuration? This IBM Redbooks publication answers these questions by documenting the experiences of a real life client that undertook this process. Informatik Zentrum Frankfurt und München (IZB) completed a Parallel Sysplex implementation, and it shares its perspective with you in this detailed analysis.

IZB is a large banking service provider in Germany. Five years ago, it had two data centers with differing standards, no sysplexes, underpowered hardware, and an expensive, tape-based disaster recovery strategy. It lacked DASD or tape mirroring; it needed to customize systems for each client; and it could not aggregate CPUs, resulting in elevated software licensing costs. Today, by exploiting Parallel Sysplex features, IZB is achieving maximum service levels and financial value from its System z environment, and looking forward to growing its client base.

This publication provides step-by-step information about how IZB set up its System z environment. Covering the areas of processors, disk, networking, middleware, databases, peripheral output, and backup and recovery, the book was written to demonstrate how other installations can derive similar value from their System z environments.

Part 1. Overview and Configuration

Chapter 1. Introduction to IZB

Chapter 2. Developing a multi-site data center

Chapter 3. Network considerations

Part 2. Middleware

Chapter 4. CICSPlex

Chapter 5. DB2 data sharing

Chapter 6. Adabas data sharing guideline

Chapter 7. WebSphere

Part 3. The system environment

Chapter 8. Storage management

Chapter 9. System

Chapter 10. Output management

Chapter 11. Automation