IBM zSystems Qualified Wavelength Division Multiplexer (WDM) products for Multi-site Sysplex and GDPS® solutions

GDPS® , an industry-leading on demand business continuity solution, is a multisite solution that is designed to provide the capability to manage the remote copy configuration and storage subsystems, automate Parallel Sysplex operational tasks, and perform failure recovery from a single point of control, thereby helping to improve application availability. GDPS supports both the synchronous Metro Mirror (also known as Peer-to-Peer Remote Copy, or PPRC), as well as the asynchronous Global Mirror and z/OS Global Mirror (also known as Extended Remote Copy, or XRC) methods of remote copy. Depending on the method of remote copy, the solution is referred to as GDPS/PPRC, GDPS/Global Mirror, or GDPS/XRC.

Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) is a technology which multiplexes multiple optical carrier signals on a single optical fibre by using different wavelengths (colors) of laser light to carry different signals. This allows for a multiplication in capacity, in addition to making it possible to perform bidirectional communications over one strand of fibre. WDMs are typically used in a multi-site Parallel Sysplex and GDPS environment.

IBM will only support WDM products qualified by IBM zSystems for usage in GDPS solutions. To obtain this qualification, WDM vendors obtain licensed IBM patents, knowledge, and intellectual property related to the GDPS architecture. This gives them access to the unique IBM protocols and applications used in a GDPS environment (including Server Time Protocol (STP), Sysplex Timer, Coupling Express Long Reach (CE LR), Metro Mirror, Global Mirror, and z/OS Global Mirror). Without this information, it is not possible to reverse-engineer the requirements for a GDPS environment. Qualified vendors normally license this information for an extended period of time, allowing them to subscribe to the latest GDPS architecture changes, and be among the first to market with offerings that support these technologies.

These vendor products have been tested and qualified by IBM using the same laboratories and procedures used to test all aspects of a GDPS environment. This testing includes functionality, recovery, and in some cases performance measurements. Having access to these test facilities allows IBM to configure a fully functional sysplex, and simulate failure and recovery actions, which could not be tested as part of a working customer environment. IBM has the facilities to test and qualify these products with both current and legacy equipment, leveraging the size of the Vendor Solutions Connectivity Lab in Poughkeepsie, USA. This qualification testing allows IBM to reproduce any concerns that may arise while using this equipment in a client's application.