Mainframe, Performance, Topics Podcast

Episode 36 "Telum Like It Is" What’s New z/OS dependencies moved from Semeru 17 to 21 . EOS for Semeru 11 is 30 Nov 2025. Manual of the Moment: z/OS 3.1 Planning for Installation refresh, Software Dependencies section Mainframe - Position z/OS for IBM z17 z/OS V2.4 and higher is supported on IBM z17. Use SMP/E FIXCATs to find the necessary service. z/OS Sysplex requirements for coexistence is z15,...

What’s New z/OS dependencies moved from Semeru 11 to 17  before November 2025 Manual of the Moment:  MVS Extended Addressability Guide  for learning about address spaces, data spaces, and hiperspaces. Mainframe - Looking at ages of fixes you haven't installed yet IBM has started adding a REWORK date to PTFs. The date may be a day or two before the actual availability date. Use case example: requir...

Episode 34 "Homeward Bound" Mainframe - z/OSMF Software Management UUID What it is: ability to programmatically retrieve a unique value (UUID) which can then be used to find out installation information about the active z/OS system. This function is optional. Requires: z/OS 3.1, an SMP/E CSI specific to that software instance, and an installed usermod which is provided by z/OSMF Software Managemen...

Episode 33 "These Boots Were Made" What’s New Preliminary z/OS 3.1 Upgrade materials Python 3.1.1 zIIP enablemment OA63406 and PH52983 Mainframe - Requires: z/OS V2.5 with PTFs, IBM z16 with microcode. Has both driving and target system requirements, use IBM.Function. ValidatedBoot FIXCAT. Front end: Siging the in-scope artifacts (NUCLEUS, LPA, IPL Text, and SA Dump Text), z16 is not req...

Episode 32 "Scott Free" What’s New Preview of z/OS 3.1 Mainframe - SMFLIMxx Parmlib Member IEFUSI exit replacement with a parmlib member, related to storage and limits that can be specified. Functions are delivered as continuous delivery, such as the SAF check filter, and number of shared pages used. In z/OS 3.1: Dedicated Real Memory Pools to assign memory to a specific application, like zCX, in...

Episode 31 "Take it to the Macs" show notes. This episode is about our After Show. (What is that?) Long show notes can be found here . What’s New New news for CustomPac removal date, it is July 10, 2022. Data Set File System released OA62150 closed April 28th, 2022 only on z/OS V2.5 Mainframe - z/OS Management Services Catalogs: Importance of z/OSMF Workflows z/OS Management Services Catalog, zMSC...

Short show notes - long show notes here We have a special guest joining us for the performance topic, Scott Ballentine. What’s New New news for CustomPac removal date, which has been extended past January 2022. The reason was to accommodate the desired Data Set Merge capability in z/OSMF which customers needed. For the new withdrawl date, it is planned to be announced in 2Q2022. Mainframe - Only i...

This episode is about how to be a better z/OS installation specialist, z/OS capture ratios, and a discussion on using Trello. We have a special guest joining us for the performance topic, Miroslava Barahona Rossi .  Long show notes are found here . Mainframe - Being a Better Installation Specialist "Better" here means lessons learned, not competing with people. "Installation Specialist" might...

This episode is about several of the z/OS V2.5 new functions, which were recently announced , for both the Mainframe and Performance topics. Our Topics topic is on Martin's Open Source tool filterCSV.  Full long show notes are here . We have a guest for Performance: Nick Matsakis, z/OS Development, IBM Poughkeepsie. Many of the enhancements you'll see in the z/OS V2.5 Preview were provided on...

Episode 27 "And Another Thing" show notes.  Long show note are here . Follow up Additional System Recovery Boost enhancements: Sysplex partitioning recovery: Boosts all surviving systems in the sysplex as they recover and takes on additional workload following the planned or unplanned removal of a system from the sysplex. Two more portable software instances: Db2 and IMS added to Shopz on Aug...

Here are the show notes for Episode 26 "Sounding Board". The show is called this because it relates to our Topics topic, and because we recorded the episode partly in the Pougkeepsie recording studio where Martin sounded zen, and partly at home. What’s New APAR PH21919: NEW FUNCTION - WORKFLOW SUPPORT SAVE JOB OUTPUT PTF Numbers are UI68359 for 2.3 and UI68360 for 2.4 APAR OA56774 (since 2.2) Prov...

Here are the show notes for Episode 25 “Flit for Purpose”. The show is called this because it relates to our Topic, and also can be related to our Mainframe topic (as a pun for “Fit for Purpose”). Mainframe Topic: Highest highlights of z/OS V2.4 and z/OS on z15 Highlight 1:  zCX Highlight 2: z/OSMF Lots of z/OSMF enhancements that have arrived in z/OS V2.4, and the good news is that most...

Here are the show notes for Episode 24 “Our Wurst Episode”. The show is called this because we both attended the IBM TechU in Berlin, Germany, and our Topics topic is our trip report. Mainframe Topic: CICS ServerPac in z/OSMF IBM’s first delivery on new installation strategy, will be with CICS and associated SREL products. This is the first of many (really, all). Choice on new installation strateg...

Here are the show notes for Episode 23 “The Preview That We Do”. The show is called this because we talk about the newly previewed z/OS release, V2.4, in the Mainframe section. This is our 24th episode too! How convenient! Mainframe: z/OS V2.4 Preview “z/OS Container Extensions” (zCX)   zCX Information z/OS Upgrade Workflow, no book More in Pervasive Encryption zFS enhancements MCS logon...

Here are the show notes for Episode 22 “Great App-spectations”. The show is called this because we talk about app expections in our Topics topic. Mainframe: PI99365 Two enhancements in z/OSMF Operator Consoles Support for “sticking” WTOR and held messages on the top of the console area Visible EMCS console name View WTOR and HOLD messages in a separate window Visible console name part Overall: The...

Here are the show notes for Episode 21 “Fits and Starts”. The show is called this because we talk about fitness devices, and the Performance topic that had work submitted after a one minute hiatus. Mainframe: SMF Recording of APF Modifications Post-IPL dynamic APF changes are reflected in SMF 90 Subtype 37. A lot of the function is in z/OS V2.2, with these fields in the SMF record: Function: ...

Here are the show notes for Episode 20 "Two Is One And One Is None". The show is called this because our Topic topic is trying to figure out how to archive family photos and videos.   Mainframe: zFS Shrink, Only in z/OS V2.3  A system command for reducing the size of a zfs file system. Not be confused with compressing files within a file system.  Found on zfsadm shrink . You specify...

Here are the show notes for Episode 19 "You've lost that syncing feeling". The show is called this because our Topic topic is about losing the Xmarks URL synchronization tool.  Mainframe Our "Mainframe" topic discusses moving from V4 to V5 zFS, prompted by a user comment that had a very positive experience. The old version for zFS was V4.  V5 gives you a directory using a tree structure...

Here are the show notes for Episode 18 "What we won't have in common anymore". The show is called this because our Mainframe topic is about some removals in common storage planned for the release after z/OS V2.3. Mainframe Our "Mainframe" topic discusses a future planned removal coming in the release after z/OS V2.3. Four items actually form what we've titled "User Key In Common Storage Removal"....

Here are the show notes for Episode 17 "Two Good, Four Better?". The show is called this because our Performance topic is about aspects of whether more LPARs in the same CECs in a sysplex is better or worse. Mainframe Our "Mainframe" topic discusses the addition of a new parmlib member for RACF, IRRPRMxx. It replaces ICHRDSNT (the RACF Data Set Name Table), and ICHRRNG (the RACF Range Table). Thes...

Here are the show notes for Episode 16 "Chapter and Worse". The show is called this because our Topics topic is about adding chapter markers (and pictures!) to our published MP3 file. We hope those of you that can see them enjoy them. Mainframe Our "Mainframe" topic discusses a new z/OS V2.3 function, Coupling Facility Encryption, with Mark Brooks, Sysplex Design and Development. Mark talked about...

Here are the show notes for Episode 15 "Waits and Measures". The show is called this because our Performance topic is about LPAR weights, and because this episode was after a seasonal hiatus. Mainframe Our "Mainframe" topic discusses a small new function in z/OS UNIX V2.3: automatic unmount of the version "root" file system in a shared file system environment. Our guest was Barry Lichtenstein, the...

Here are the show notes for Episode 14 "In the Long Run". The show is called this because the episode ran much longer than usual, and it is of fitting length if you have a very long commute. Mainframe Our "Mainframe" topic is the first in a series of deep dives into z/OS V2.3. Part 1 is on z/OSMF Autostart. This is the most important migration action in z/OS V2.3, and requires special consideratio...

Here are the show notes for Episode 13 "We'll Always Have Paris". The show is called this because both Marna and Martin reminisce about lovely times in the City of Light.  Marna just got back from Paris with her son (the one that built his own gaming computer). They discuss what they like to do there. Mainframe Our "Mainframe" topic discusses what has been a popular item since more people hav...

Here are the show notes for Episode 12 "Baker's Dozen". The show is called "Baker's Dozen" because it is the thirteenth episode, after starting at Episode #0. Mainframe Our "Mainframe" topic discussed some fun small enhancements Marna has enjoyed from GRS. With OA42221 back to z/OS R13, GRS has the ability to write SMF records (87 subtype 1) to identify heavy users of global generic queue scans. T...