Abstract
This IBM® Redbooks® Solution Guide describes IBM z/OS® V2R1, the latest release of the z/OS operating system. This release provides current hardware support for the zEC12 and zBC12 servers, batch modernization features, enhancements to security, data processing, communications, and other z/OS components. By implementing the key functions in this release you can enhance availability, scalability, and security of your system, simplify batch processing, and improve data management.
Contents
This IBM® Redbooks® Solution Guide describes IBM z/OS® V2R1, the latest release of the z/OS operating system. This release provides current hardware support for the zEC12 and zBC12 servers, batch modernization features, enhancements to security, data processing, communications, and other z/OS components. By implementing the key functions in this release you can enhance availability, scalability, and security of your system, simplify batch processing, and improve data management.
Figure 1. z/OS V2R1 provides hardware support for the zEC12 and zBC12 servers
Did you know?
IBM z/OS V2R1 is the first release in the two-year release cycle for z/OS. This release will coexist with the next two releases of z/OS, which are planned to be released two years and four years after the z/OS V2R1 availability date of September 2013. The extended release cycle provides you with more time to implement the many new functions included in z/OS V2R1.
Many of the new functions in z/OS V2R1 use the new hardware features exclusive to the zEC12 and zBC12 servers. Support for IBM zEnterprise® Data Compression (zEDC) allows you to compress data with low CPU overhead and low latency. Support for Shared Memory Communications-Remote Direct Memory Access (SMC-R) can help you move data quickly between z/OS images on the same CPC or a different CPC without requiring changes to applications. Flash Express support improves system availability and responsiveness. Support for CFCC level 19 enhancements improves performance in environments with shared engine coupling facilities.
Business value
z/OS V2R1 helps you minimize downtime and achieve higher performance and availability. Exploitation of the coupling facility thin interrupts can boost performance and drive higher throughput. SMC-R support allows application-transparent networking for the fast exchange of information between systems. Enhancements to VSAM record-level sharing (RLS) improve catalog performance and availability.
Enhancements in z/OS V2R1 can help with storage management. Support for zEDC offers CPU-efficient and low latency compression and helps reduce your storage infrastructure costs. DFSMS enhancements such as catalog alias number constraint relief, support for catalogs over 4 GB, CA reclaim for VSAM KSDS and PDSE member generations help you manage large amounts of data more efficiently. A new zFS file system version significantly improves performance for file systems with large directories, and a larger maximum file system size of 16 TB for greater scalability.
Communications Server in z/OS V2R1 with the RoCE Express hardware feature supports a new communications protocol, Shared Memory Communications-RDMA (SMC-R). SMC-R provides a significant performance improvement in transferring data as compared to standard TCP/IP communications over the Open Systems Adapter (OSA). Also, the QDIO accelerator function improves performance and security by allowing packets to be directly routed between IBM HiperSockets™ and OSA QDIO connections with IPSec enabled.
Batch modernization enhancements are intended to shorten your batch window with functions such as parallel batch recall and SYSDSN ENQ downgrade. Support for system symbols in JCL and in-stream data sets in JCL procedures, a PARM string longer than 100 characters, and longer job class names help you code more simple, flexible, and reusable JCL for batch processing.
To simplify operations and extend automation, two enhancements are available for synchronous write to operator with reply (WTOR) processing (also referred to as DCCF). The first extends the auto-reply function so it can respond to WTORs displayed through DCCF. The second notifies all locally attached MCS consoles of the current destination of a WTOR displayed by DCCF, which helps operators more easily locate the console on which the response might be entered.
Solution overview
Many new functions are in z/OS V2R1. This solution concentrates on enhancements in hardware support, communications, security, data management, batch modernization, and other z/OS functions.
Hardware support functions:
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Special Notices
The material included in this document is in DRAFT form and is provided 'as is' without warranty of any kind. IBM is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the material, and may update the document at any time. The final, published document may not include any, or all, of the material included herein. Client assumes all risks associated with Client's use of this document.