Testing with performance workloads

The Performance Report uses the term workload extensively. The term refers to the combination of key components of the environment that are used to produce performance figures for a specific CICS configuration.

  • Application code

    Application code can be written in any language that is supported by the CICS environment. The number, sequence, and ordering of EXEC CICS, EXEC SQL, or EXEC DLI commands dictate the flow of control between the application and the CICS TS environment and is known as the workload logic.

  • Data that is required by the application.

    Data that is required by the application can be stored in VSAM files or in an IBM Db2 database, provided by the simulated clients, or supplied by some other external system. The data that is used corresponds to the data that is exchanged between components of CICS as part of a customer's application.

  • Topology of connected address spaces

    The number of CICS regions, the methods that are used to connect these CICS regions, and the logical partition (LPAR) in which the CICS region is executed all form part of the workload.

  • Configuration of the CICS region

    There are many configuration parameters for CICS and the value for each can be modified to achieve a specific effect.

  • Simulated clients

    The number of simulated clients, their method of communication with the CICS regions under test and the rate at which requests are sent to the CICS regions can be varied to affect the behavior of a workload.