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Performance Management
These changes in z/VM 6.4 affect the performance management of z/VM:
- Monitor Changes
- Command or Output Changes
- Effects on Accounting Data
- Performance Toolkit for VM Changes
- Omegamon XE Changes
Monitor Changes
Several z/VM 6.4 enhancements affect CP monitor data. The changes are described below. The detailed monitor record layouts are found on the control blocks page.
z/VM 6.4 enhancements enable hypervisor intialization and termination, the Stand-Alone Program Loader (SAPL), DASD Dump Restore (DDR), Stand-Alone Dump, and other stand-alone utilities to run entirely in z/Architecture mode.
The following monitor records have been updated for this support:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 0 Record 1 | System Data (Per Processor) |
| Domain 0 Record 15 | Logical Partition Configuration |
| Domain 4 Record 2 | User Logoff Data |
| Domain 4 Record 3 | User Activity Data |
| Domain 4 Record 9 | User Activity Data at Transaction End |
z/VM is enhanced to provide support for the Enhanced-DAT Facility, which allows a guest to exploit 1 MB pages in addition to the supported 4 KB pages.
The following monitor record is updated for this support:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 5 Record 11 | Instruction Counts (per processor) |
Support for Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) is enhanced with the addition of the SET MULTITHREAD command. Once z/VM 6.4 has been IPLed with multithreading enabled in the system configuration file, this command can be used to switch non-disruptively between one and two activated threads per IFL core.
The following new monitor record has been created for this support:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 5 Record 21 | SMT Configuration Change Event |
The following monitor records have been updated for this support:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 0 Record 2 | Processor Data (Per Processor) |
| Domain 1 Record 4 | System Configuration Data |
| Domain 5 Record 1 | Vary on processor |
| Domain 5 Record 2 | Vary off processor |
| Domain 5 Record 20 | MT CPUMF Counters |
IBM z13 and z13s are the last z Systems servers to support expanded storage (XSTORE). z/VM 6.4 does not support XSTORE for either host or guest usage.
The following monitor records are no longer generated:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 0 Record 5 | Expanded Storage Data (per processor) |
| Domain 1 Record 17 | Expanded Storage Data |
| Domain 3 Record 9 | Expanded Storage Data |
| Domain 3 Record 10 | Expanded Storage Data (per user) |
The following monitor records have been updated for the removal of this support:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 0 Record 14 | Minidisk Cache Data (Global) |
| Domain 1 Record 16 | Scheduler Settings |
| Domain 2 Record 4 | Add User to Dispatch List |
| Domain 2 Record 5 | Drop User from Dispatch List |
| Domain 2 Record 6 | Add User to Eligible List |
| Domain 2 Record 7 | SET SRM Changes |
| Domain 3 Record 3 | Shared Storage Management (per NSS or DCSS) |
| Domain 3 Record 14 | Address Space Information Record |
| Domain 3 Record 16 | NSS/DCSS/SSP Removed From Storage |
| Domain 4 Record 2 | User Logoff Data |
| Domain 4 Record 3 | User Activity Data |
| Domain 4 Record 9 | User Activity Data at Transaction End |
A z/VM storage administrator can now use FlashSystem storage as a z/VM-system-attached DASD, directly attached to the host without the need for an intermediate SAN Volume Controller (SVC). Previously, though FlashSystem could be used by a Linux virtual machine without an SVC, to use it for z/VM system volumes or EDEVs for virtual machines, an external or internal SVC was required. This enhancement removes that requirement.
The following monitor records have been updated for this support:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 1 Record 6 | Device Configuration Data |
| Domain 6 Record 1 | Vary on Device |
| Domain 6 Record 3 | Device Activity |
The IBM z Unified Resource Manager (zManager) is no longer supported by z/VM. The virtual switch types of IEDN and INMN have been removed from CP and TCP/IP commands and other externals.
The following monitor records have been updated for this support:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 1 Record 4 | System Configuration Data |
| Domain 1 Record 19 | QDIO Device Configuration |
| Domain 6 Record 23 | Virtual Switch Recovery |
| Domain 6 Record 25 | QDIO Device Activation Event |
| Domain 6 Record 27 | QDIO Device Deactivation Event |
| Domain 8 Record 1 | Virtual NIC Session Activity |
| Domain 8 Record 2 | Virtual NIC Guest Link State - Link Up |
| Domain 8 Record 3 | Virtual NIC Guest Link State - Link Down |
Improvements to memory management algorithms provide a basis for future enhancements that can increase the performance of workloads that experience available list spin lock contention.
The following monitor records have been updated for this support:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 0 Record 4 | Real Storage Data (Per Processor) |
| Domain 0 Record 23 | Formal Spin Lock Data |
| Domain 3 Record 1 | Real Storage Management (Global) |
Virtual machines that do not consume all of their entitled CPU power, as determined by their share setting, generate surplus CPU power. This enhancement distributes the surplus to other virtual machines in proportion to their share setting. This is managed independently for each processor type (General Purpose, IFL, zIIP, and so on) across virtual machines.
The following monitor records have been updated for this support:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 2 Record 4 | Add User to Dispatch List |
| Domain 2 Record 5 | Drop User from Dispatch List |
| Domain 2 Record 6 | Add User to Eligible List |
| Domain 2 Record 13 | Add VMDBK to the Limit List |
| Domain 2 Record 14 | Drop VMDBK from the Limit List |
z/VM paging now exploits the ability for an IBM DS8000 device to execute multiple I/O requests to an ECKD volume in parallel from a single z/VM image. In HyperPAV mode, I/O resources can be assigned on demand as needed. If the base volume is busy, z/VM selects a free alias device from a pool, binds the alias device to the base device, and starts the I/O. When the I/O completes, the alias device is returned to the pool to be used for another I/O to the same logical subsystem (LSS).
The following monitor records have been updated for this support:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 1 Record 7 | Memory Configuration Data |
| Domain 1 Record 20 | HyperPAV Pool Definition |
| Domain 3 Record 1 | Real Storage Management (Global) |
| Domain 3 Record 4 | Auxiliary Storage Management |
| Domain 3 Record 8 | Block Paging Data |
| Domain 3 Record 11 | Auxiliary Shared Storage Management |
| Domain 6 Record 3 | Device Activity |
| Domain 6 Record 28 | HyperPAV Pool Activity |
| Domain 6 Record 32 | Indicates an HPF Feature Change |
To provide additional debug information for system and performance problems, z/VM 6.4 added or changed these monitor records:
| Monitor Record | Record Name |
|---|---|
| Domain 0 Record 15 | Logical Partition Configuration |
| Domain 0 Record 21 | System Execution Space (Global) |
| Domain 1 Record 31 | CP Service Configuration |
| Domain 5 Record 18 | Dispatch Vector High Frequency Data |
| Domain 6 Record 4 | Cache Activity Data |
| Domain 6 Record 10 | Automated Tape Library Statistics |
| Domain 6 Record 22 | Virtual Switch Failover |
| Domain 6 Record 30 | LSS PAV Transition |
| Domain 6 Record 34 | Virtual Switch Bridge Port Deactivation |
| Domain 6 Record 40 | Guest Disables a PCI Function |
| Domain 6 Record 42 | PCI Function Added to the System |
| Domain 6 Record 45 | Real PCI Function varied on |
Command or Output Changes
This section cites new or changed commands or command outputs that are relevant to the task of performance management. It is not an inventory of every new or changed command.
The section does not give syntax diagrams, sample command outputs, or the like. Current copies of z/VM publications can be found in the online library.
Related to VSWITCH
- SET VSWITCH adds COUNTERS CLEAR to clear debug counters.
Related to HyperPAV Paging
- SET PAGING and QUERY PAGING work with the new paging driver.
- SET CU and QUERY CU work with alias shares.
- SET AGELIST and QUERY AGELIST work with the new paging driver.
- SET IPLPARMS controls the new PAGING63 IPL parameter.
Related to Installed Service
- QUERY CPSERVICE displays the service table.
Related to EDEV and DASD Management
- QUERY EDEVICE returns inquiry pages and vital product data pages.
- QUERY DASD returns device configuration and characteristics information.
- IOEXPLOR returns device information.
Related to EDEV RAS
- SET MITIME no longer applies to EDEVs.
- SET CPTRACE adds trace codes for the SCSI container.
- SET EDEVICE adds a usage note on best practices for configuration.
Related to Support of SCSI Flash Systems
- SET EDEVICE adds the keyword FLASH.
- QUERY EDEVICE adds the output FLASH.
Related to System Shutdown
- QUERY SHUTDOWN adds command output.
- QUERY SHUTDOWNTIME is a new command.
Related to Dynamic SMT
- SET MULTITHREAD is a new command.
- QUERY MULTITHREAD has new output.
- INDICATE MULTITHREAD has documentation changes.
- VARY CORE has documentation changes.
- SET CPTRACE has documentation changes.
Related to RSCS TCPNJE Encryption
- RSCS DEFINE can now specify TLSLABEL=.
- RSCS START can now specify TLSLABEL=.
Related to Perfkit Using Memory > 2 GB
- FCONTROL HMA is new.
- FCONTROL STORUSED is new.
- FCONTROL LIMIT has new threshold variables.
Related to the Removal of XSTORE
All of the following commands were hit by the removal of XSTORE:
- ATTACH XSTORE
- DETACH XSTORE
- FOR
- INDICATE LOAD
- INDICATE NSS
- INDICATE PAGING
- INDICATE SPACES
- INDICATE USER
- LOGOFF
- LOGON
- MONITOR SAMPLE
- QUERY AGELIST
- QUERY MDCACHE
- QUERY RESERVED
- QUERY SRM
- QUERY VIRTUAL ALL
- QUERY VIRTUAL XSTORE
- QUERY XSTORE
- RETAIN XSTORE
- SET AGELIST
- SET CPTRACE
- SET MDCACHE
- SET RESERVED
- SET SRM
- VMRELOCATE
Effects on Accounting Data
z/VM 6.4 did not change accounting.
Performance Toolkit for VM Changes
Performance Toolkit for VM has been enhanced since z/VM for z13. Find below descriptions of the enhancements.
VM65656: Pipelines Input Stage
With VM65656 Performance Toolkit for VM now includes a CMS Pipelines stage called PERFKIT. This stage constitutes a Pipelines input interface through which Perfkit can read blocks of MONWRITE files.
VM65528: Multi-VSWITCH Link Aggregation
With VM65528 Performance Toolkit for VM includes support for Multi-VSWITCH Link Aggregation.
The following reports are new:
Performance Toolkit for VM: New Reports
| Name | Number | Title | Description |
| GLONACT | FCX317 | Global Networking Object Activity | Displays activity data related to global VSWITCHes. |
The following reports have been changed:
Performance Toolkit for VM: Changed Reports
| Name | Number | Title | What Changed |
| MONDATA | FCX155 | Monitor Data Statistics | Added information related to global VSWITCHes. |
| IOCHANGE | FCX185 | I/O Configuration Changes | Added information related to global VSWITCHes. |
| VSWITCH | FCX240 | Virtual Switch Activity | Added information related to global VSWITCHes. |
| GVSWITCH | FCX266 | General Virtual Switch Description | Added information related to global VSWITCHes. |
| EVSWITCH | FCX267 | Extended Virtual Switch Description | Added information related to global VSWITCHes. |
VM65699: New and Repaired Function
With VM65699 Performance Toolkit for VM includes several improved reports and numerous internal repairs.
The following reports have been changed:
Performance Toolkit for VM: Changed Reports
| Name | Number | Title | What Changed |
| FCHANNEL | FCX215 | FICON Channel Load | Changed to add channel read and write speeds. |
| MONDATA | FCX155 | Monitor Data Statistics | Displays all event records that arrived after the last sample interval. |
| USTAT | FCX114 | User Wait States | In headers, %Time spent in was changed to %Samples showing. |
| USTLOG | FCX135 | User Wait States Log | In headers, %Time spent in was changed to %Samples showing. |
| USTATLOG | FCX164 | User Wait States Log | In headers, %Time spent in was changed to %Samples showing. |
| USTMPLOG | FCX315 | Multiprocessor User Wait States Log | In headers, %Time spent in was changed to %Samples showing. |
| LPAR | FCX126 | LPAR Load | In headers, LPU was changed to Core. |
| LPARLOG | FCX202 | LPAR Load Log | In headers, LPU was changed to Core. |
| PROCCONF | FCX234 | Processor/Core Configuration Log | In headers, LPU was changed to Core. |
| LPARCONF | FCX235 | LPAR Configuration Log | In headers, LPU was changed to Core. |
| TOPOLOG | FCX287 | System Topology Machine Organization | In headers, LPU was changed to Core. |
| PUORGLOG | FCX298 | Logical Core Organization Log | In headers, LPU was changed to Core. |
| PHYSLOG | FCX302 | Real Core Utilization Log | In headers, LPU was changed to Core. |
| LSHARACT | FCX306 | Logical Partition Share | In headers, LPU was changed to Core. |
| LPARLOGM | FCX307 | Logical Partition Logs Menu | In headers, LPU was changed to Core. |
| SYSCONF | FCX180 | System Configuration | Displays CPC type-model and Model-Capacity Identifier when available. |
| PUCFGLOG | FCX299 | Logical PU (Core and Threads) Configuration Log | Uses "Core" in description. |
| SYSLOG | FCX179 | System Facilities Log | User exits columns now show %Busy, and calculation of existing usec is changed. |
VM65698: IBM z13 GA2 and z13s
With VM65698 Performance Toolkit for VM includes support for the IBM z13 2964 GA2 and the IBM z13s 2965.
The following reports are new:
Performance Toolkit for VM: New Reports
| Name | Number | Title | Description |
| PCIACT | FCX322 | PCI Function Activity, Format 3 | Displays activity for format-3 PCI functions. |
| PCILOG | FCX323 | PCI Function Activity Log, Format 3 | Displays a log of activity for a selected format-3 PCI function. |
The following reports have been changed:
Performance Toolkit for VM: Changed Reports
| Name | Number | Title | What Changed |
| PCIMENU | FCX310 | PCI Function Menu | Added entry for format-3 PCI functions. |
| PCICONF | FCX311 | PCI Function Configuration | Added information for format-3 PCI functions. |
VM65697: CPU Pooling, LPAR Group Capping, and Prorated Core Time
With VM65697 Performance Toolkit for VM includes support for CPU Pooling, LPAR Group Capping, and Prorated Core Time.
The following reports are new:
Performance Toolkit for VM: New Reports
| Name | Number | Title | Description |
| CPLMENU | FCX324 | CPU Pool Menu | Displays a menu of choices related to CPU Pooling. |
| CPLCONF | FCX308 | CPU Pool Configuration | Displays configuration information related to CPU Pooling. |
| CPLACT | FCX309 | CPU Pool Activity Data | Displays activity data related to CPU Pooling. |
The following reports have been changed:
Performance Toolkit for VM: Changed Reports
| Name | Number | Title | What Changed |
| MENU | FCX124 | Performance Data Selection Menu | Added selection 2A. |
| UCONF | FCX226 | Performance Data Selection Menu | Added column for CPU pool name. |
| LPAR | FCX126 | LPAR Load Screen |
|
| LPARLOG | FCX202 | LPAR Load Screen |
|
| LSHARACT | FCX306 | Logical Partition Share | Added GrpCapNm and GrpCap columns. |
z/VM 6.4: New Function
With z/VM 6.4 Performance Toolkit for VM includes support for a new report, LOCKACT.
The following reports are new:
Performance Toolkit for VM: New Reports
| Name | Number | Title | Description |
| CPUMENU | FCX325 | CPU Data Menu | The CPU Data Menu Screen shows a selection menu of CPU options, namely, CPU, DSVBKACT, and LOCKACT. |
| LOCKACT | FCX326 | Spin Lock Collision Activity | The Spin Lock Collision Activity Screen shows mean lock behavior. To see the interval-to-interval lock statistics, use INTERIM LOCKACT. These are available when z/VM 6.4 Performance Toolkit reduces data from any supported z/VM system. |
The following reports have been changed:
Performance Toolkit for VM: Changed Reports
| Name | Number | Title | What Changed |
| MENU | FCX124 | Performance Screen Selection Menu | Changed number 1 to go to menu CPUMENU instead of to report CPU. |
| LOCKLOG | FCX265 | Spin Lock Log | This data screen can not be produced when z/VM 6.4 Performance Toolkit reduces data from a z/VM 6.4 or later system. |
Take note: The z/VM 6.4 version of Performance Toolkit must run on z/CMS.
With z/VM 6.4 Performance Toolkit for VM now provides support for using memory above the 2 GB line (called High Memory Area or HMA). To have a HMA and use memory above 2 GB, the PERFSVM directory entry needs to include memory above 2 GB. It is recommended that PERFSVM includes the entire 2 GB to 4 GB range of memory. With this support, z/VM 6.4 Performance Toolkit has two changed commands:
- FCONTROL HMA was added to query the current HMA usage.
- FCONTROL LIMIT was changed to add three new threshold limits; namely, HMAPAGE, HMAPRINT, and STORB2G.
Performance Toolkit for VM has not yet been enhanced to depict what the monitor records report about CP's use of HyperPAV aliases. In the meantime there is a VM Download Library package called HPALIAS you can use.
Omegamon XE Changes
OMEGAMON XE has added a new workspace so as to expand and enrich its ability to comment on z/VM system performance. OMEGAMON XE will now display data on any CPU pools that you have defined for your z/VM system. It will allow you to see the usage of your CPU pools and determine which pools are near capacity and which ones are under-utilized.
To support these OMEGAMON XE endeavors, Performance Toolkit for VM now puts additional CP Monitor data into the PERFOUT DCSS.
