Clarification of Parallel Sysplex Pricing Terms and Conditions Including Changes to the Parallel Sysplex License Charge Exhibit

Hardware Announcement
January 13, 1998
Announcement Letter Number: 198-001

Table of Contents:



At a Glance

IBM is clarifying requirements to qualify for aggregated Parallel Sysplex License Charge pricing.

The clarification of the criteria is intended to provide customers with a more precise definition of actively coupled so they may more easily determine when they achieve active coupling and qualify for aggregated Parallel Sysplex License Charge pricing. 

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Overview

IBM is clarifying requirements that determine whether or not customers qualify for aggregated Parallel Sysplex (TM) License Charge Pricing. Qualifying criteria that define the "actively coupled" requirement have been added to the Parallel Sysplex License Charge Exhibits.

Customers that do not meet the qualifying criteria will not have the advantage of aggregating MSUs in calculating PSLC prices.



Intended Customers

All customers that are currently receiving aggregated Parallel Sysplex pricing, customers who have outstanding aggregated Parallel Sysplex pricing proposals, and customers that are likely to request aggregated Parallel Sysplex pricing soon.

This announcement does not affect PSLC charges for single systems.



Key Prerequisites

The customer must have, or be likely to request, a Parallel Sysplex.



Planned Availability Date

January 13, 1998

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This announcement is provided for your information only. For additional information, contact your IBM representative, call 800-IBM-4YOU, or visit the IBM home page at: http://www.ibm.com



DESCRIPTION

The PSLC Exhibit and the Attachment for Parallel Sysplex License Charges require that customer's machines be operating in an "actively coupled" environment to qualify for aggregated PSLC pricing. The criteria clarifies what it means to meet that requirement.

To be considered "actively coupled" customers must comply with the following conditions:

  1. All Processors in the Parallel Sysplex must be physically attached via coupling links to a common Coupling Facility from Group B of the PSLC Exhibits and via timer links to a common Sysplex Timer (R).

    Note: If a Coupling Facility is divided into multiple logical partitions (LPAR's), all processors must be attached to the same Coupling Facility LPAR.

  2. All OS/390 (TM) and MVS/ESA (TM) V5 images that comprise the Parallel Sysplex environment must have at least one common systems enablement function activated to use the coupling facility across all images in the sysplex. Eligible Systems Enablement functions are listed below:
    • Application Data Sharing including:
      • IMS (TM) TM: with IMS DB or DB2 (R)

      • CICS (R): with IMS DB or DB2 or VSAM RLS

      • TSO and DB2 data sharing

      • An eligible Independent Software Vendor's Data Base from Group C of the PSLC Exhibits.

    • GRS Star Implementation
    • JES2 Checkpoint in the coupling facility
    • RACF (TM) database caching
    • SmartBatch multisystem processing
    • Automated tape sharing and switching
    • VTAM (R) Generic Resources
    • VTAM MULTINODE Persistent Sessions
    • System logger SYSLOG (OPERLOG)
    • System logger LOGREC
    • System logger Resource Recovery Services
  3. The configuration and operating modes described in this exhibit must be the normal mode of operations for this environment. The OS/390 and MVS (R) Images participating in the above sysplex functions must account for at least 50% of the total OS/390 and MVS workload on each machine.

    A processor can only be in one Parallel Sysplex for pricing purposes. If the processor is partitioned, and the partitions are in different qualifying Parallel Sysplexes, the customer may select which Parallel Sysplex the processor will be included in for billing.

    The customer must notify IBM when they qualify for aggregated PSLC pricing under these criteria for current and new Parallel Sysplexes. Sysplex pricing will apply on receipt of the notification.

Customers currently receiving aggregated PSLC pricing who do not meet this definition of actively coupled will be granted a grace period in which to take action to meet the criteria prior to losing the benefit of aggregated PSLC pricing. The grace period will vary depending on a number of factors, among them, the number of processors and the complexity of the sysplex function being implemented. Customers should contact their IBM representative to determine their grace period. Customers that do not meet the criteria at the end of the grace period will lose the benefit of aggregated Parallel Sysplex pricing.

Effective today, customers adding or upgrading processors to existing sysplexes for current workloads will continue to receive aggregated PSLC Pricing during the grace period. Customers adding a processor to existing sysplexes for new workloads must meet the criteria before this processor's associated MSU's will qualify for aggregated PSLC pricing.

Customers installing a new Parallel Sysplex after this criteria is announced will receive aggregated PSLC pricing when they meet this criteria.

IBM may request verification of Parallel Implementation via RMF (TM) or equivalent reports.

Trademarks 

      Parallel Sysplex, MVS/ESA, OS/390, IMS, RACF, and RMF are
      trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in
      the United States or other countries or both.
      Sysplex Timer, DB2, CICS, VTAM, and MVS are registered
      trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in
      the United States or other countries or both.
      Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or
      service marks of others.



SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION



SCHEDULE

The qualification criteria are effective immediately.



CHARGES

For all local charges contact your IBM representative.