Parallel Sysplex

Parallel Sysplex® is a cluster of IBM® mainframes that act together as a single system image with z/OS®. Used for disaster recovery, Parallel Sysplex combines data sharing and parallel computing to allow a cluster of up to 32 systems to share a workload for high performance and high availability.

ZD&T Parallel Sysplex can be used to enable a Sysplex environment that is running within z/VM®. To run ZD&T Parallel Sysplex, you need to run the installation package on the 8086 Intel-based hardware with RHEL or Ubuntu operating system. This package emulates z/Architecture® with virtual I/O and devices.

Before you run ZD&T Parallel Sysplex, you need to ensure that you have the entitlements to run it. To enable ZD&T Parallel Sysplex, prepare a License Server with the license that is applied on it.

Software-based License Server

When you use the software-based licensing, the Software-based License Server provides a server for centralized management of license keys for one or more instances of ZD&T Parallel sysplex. With this method, a USB hardware device is not required.

To prepare the Software-based License Server, install the server and authenticated license key files. The licensee is not authorized to use Parallel Sysplex or any of its components except when the Software-based License Server is activated with a license key file and is accessible by the program, as it provides the proof of license entitlement.

Note: The Software-based License Server and ZD&T Parallel Sysplex cannot be installed on the same machine.

Each license key file is generated with a number of entitled emulated central processors, which is referred as Central Processors (CPs). A single instance of ZD&T requires at least 1 CP, and can run with a maximum of eight CPs. The number of CPs needed depends on the number of users and the types and amount of processing required. For more information about the number of CPs that is used with an instance, see section 2.3.4 "Performance" in the zPDT® Guide and Reference.

The following topology describes the Software-based License Server and various components of Parallel Sysplex.

Figure 1. The Software-based License Server and various components of Parallel Sysplex

Hardware-based License Server

The earlier versions of ZD&T Parallel Sysplex require a USB hardware device that contains a license key to control the licensee's access to all or portions of the program. The USB hardware device is ordered through Passport Advantage® in a media pack that is separate from the electronic media that contains the offering software. After you order the a license key (called update file) from Rational® License Key Center, you need to apply the license key to the USB hardware device. Then, connect the USB hardware device to the machine that is known as Hardware-based License Server.

Note: The Hardware-based License Server and ZD&T Parallel Sysplex cannot be installed on the same machine, and the network connectivity is not needed between the machines.

Each update file is generated with a number of entitled emulated central processors, which is referred as Central Processors (CPs). A single instance of ZD&T requires at least 1 CP, and can run with a maximum of eight CPs. The number of CPs that is needed depends on the number of users and the types and amount of processing required. For more information about the number of CPs that is used with an instance, see section 2.3.4 "Performance" in the zPDT Guide and Reference.

The following topology describes the Hardware-based License Server and various components of Parallel Sysplex.

Figure 2. The Hardware-based License Server and various components of Parallel Sysplex

Rational Tokens

Rational Software License Server (RLKS) uses Rational Tokens to enable IBM supplied products. If you also use other IBM products, and already set up RLKS, you can use Rational Tokens to enable ZD&T Parallel Sysplex.

To enable Parallel Sysplex by Rational Tokens, you need to decide to use Hardware-based License Server or Software-based License Server. In either case, the license key file indicates that Rational Tokens are required.

For ZD&T Parallel Sysplex, each emulated central processor within an instance of a Z virtual machine requires a particular number of Rational Tokens, based on the token value for ZD&T Parallel Sysplex. When you use Rational Tokens, each instance of the emulator coordinates with a Rational License Key Server instance, and starts or continues to run only if sufficient Rational Tokens are available for the number of configured CPs defined for that instance.

The use of Rational Tokens does not replace the requirement for a license key for ZD&T Parallel Sysplex. Either a software-based license key file or a USB hardware device with a valid update file is still required.

The following topology describes the Software-based License Server and Software-based License Server with Rational Tokens and various components of Parallel Sysplex.

Figure 3. The Hardware-based License Server with Rational Tokens, and various components of Parallel Sysplex

Figure 4. The Software-based License Server with Rational Tokens, and various components of Parallel Sysplex

Application Developers Controlled Distribution (ADCD)

ZD&T Parallel Sysplex comes with the Application Developers Controlled Distribution (ADCD) package, which is known as z/OS ADCD and z/VM distribution to enable ZD&T with Parallel Sysplex. ADCD package enables enterprise users to use and develop their applications with newest set of Mainframe software packages, such as CICS®, DB2®, IMS, z/OS 2.3, and JES2. z/VM enables the users to create the Parallel Sysplex environment on their commodity 8086 hardware.

For a complete list of z/OS products in ADCD, see Products contained in this release.