Parallel Sysplex clustering is a feature of IBM zSystems™ that allows a set of up to 32 IBM z/OS systems to be connected and to behave as a single, logical computing platform.
Parallel Sysplex® enables you to run multiple copies of z/OS® as a single image, so you can manage multiple systems and resources from a single point of control. In a Parallel Sysplex, operating systems can span multiple systems and share their applications and data, to scale out across the capacity of many z/OS images.
Application availability of 99.99999%¹ and single points of failure cut outs.
Business application permit for all the servers’ assets without altering data sharing settings.
Smart handle of multiple systems as one, from one point of control and in a single server.
Application share system resources allow you to meet the business goals you define.
Software savings by adding Machine Service Units, using Parallel Sysplex License Charging.
System performance maximization and white space adjusting.
Set up the Automatic Restart Manager to recover and restart critical subsystems, either on the same system or on a different one.
Run the Coupling Facility for high-speed caching, list processing and locking.
Achieve disaster recovery and high availability with GDPS® by using a cluster across two or more sites with data mirroring.
Use workload balancing and routing to help prevent a single point of failure and adjusts middleware workloads.
Enable resource sharing for physical resources such as files, tape drives, consoles and catalogs to be shared.
Use Server Time Protocol to enable servers and coupling facilities to maintain common time synchronization.
Use Sysplex Failure Manager to specify a policy for failure detection intervals and recovery actions to be automatically initiated.
Manage workloads with z/OS Workload Manager to dynamically distribute resources to systems with capacity.
Footnotes
¹ Expected value calculated on internal measurements and projections data base. IBM Z servers must be configured in a Parallel Sysplex with z/OS 2.3 or above; GDPS data management and middleware recovery across Metro distance systems and storage and DS888X with IBM HyperSwap. Other resiliency technology and configurations may be needed.