Software Maintenance
Software Maintenance Module
The Software Maintenance ZMARS module for the Db2 for z/OS Engine and your Db2 tools and utilities assesses how your software maintenance strategies, practices and procedures contribute to the safe running of your Db2 systems.
It covers all aspects of your Db2 software stack maintenance strategy, within the context of your risk appetite and drivers for new release/function adoption.
The Triton study team will produce an easily consumable report with prioritised findings and recommendations that, when implemented, will ensure that your software maintenance strategy meets your business requirements while at the same time making it less likely service availability will be impacted by software defects.
Why it Matters
A robust and defensive software maintenance strategy will minimise disruption caused by software defect. A failure to apply the fix for a critical HIPER or to resolve a PE in a timely fashion can easily lead, for example, to data loss or extended service outages.
Db2 Engine Software Maintenance Updates
IBM provides a choice of how they package up maintenance for you to apply to your systems, principally RSU for a more conservative approach or PUT if there is a need to be as current as possible.
Handling Exception PTFs
Even though sites may take RSU or PUT maintenance updates, part of the apply process involves decision making about how to handle, for example, PTFs in error (PEs), and additional HIPERs not already included in the maintenance package.
Route To Live
Testing and software maintenance validation are key points of your strategy, including the time it takes to roll out maintenance from your sandpit and development environments all the way through to production.
Why Triton
Our ZMARS study will be led by John Campbell, IBM Alumni, retired IBM Distinguished Engineer and previous leader of the Db2 for z/OS SWAT team. John has worked with Db2 for z/OS for over 40 years and has extensive experience in systems, database, and application design.
Triton’s ZMARS consultants are specialists with extensive technical expertise, dedicated to collaborating with C-level teams. Each of our ZMARS consultants brings over 30 years of experience with Db2.
ZPARMS
Do your ZPARMS conform to recommended best practice, are they in line with your availability and resilience policies, and are key ZPARMS specified consistently across the data sharing group?
Database Housekeeping
How effective is your housekeeping strategy – REORG, REBIND, statistics collection – at ensuring stable, predictable performance and efficient use of machine resources?
Db2 for z/OS System and Application Performance Monitoring
Do your real-time monitoring and historical performance reporting practices help you proactively identify and prevent service disruptions caused by performance and workload deviations from the normal?