Performance administration is the process of defining and adjusting performance goals. Workload management introduces the role of the service level administrator. The service level administrator is responsible for defining the installation's performance goals based on business needs and current performance. This explicit definition of workloads and performance goals is called a service definition. Some installations might already have this kind of information in a service level agreement (SLA). The service definition applies to all types of work, CICS®, IMS™, TSO/E, z/OS® UNIX System Services, JES, APPC/MVS, LSFM, DDF, DB2®, SOM, Internet Connection Server (also referred to as IWEB) and others. You can specify goals for all MVS™ managed work, whether it is online transactions or batch jobs. The goals defined in the service definition apply to all work in the sysplex.
Because the service definition terminology is similar to the terminology found in an SLA, the service level administrator can communicate with the installation user community, with upper level management, and with MVS using the same terminology. When the service level requirements change, the service level administrator can adjust the corresponding workload management terms, without having to convert them into low-level MVS parameters.
Workload management provides an online panel-based application for setting up and adjusting the service definition. You specify the service definition through this ISPF administrative application.
Workload management provides the capability to collect performance and delay data in context of the service definition. The performance and delay data are available to reporting and monitoring products, so that they can use the same terminology.