New for z/OS software pricing : IBM Integrated Workload Pricing (IWP)

Here's another announcement on software pricing. Good news this time. It's about an addition to the MLC pricing for AWLC customers : 'IBM Integrated Workload Pricing for zEnterprise clients can significantly improve price/performance of collocated workloads on z/OS (ZP11-0018)'. At first sight it looks a bit complicated (hey, it's IBM software pricing) but thanks to some clarifications from Marc Wesemael (IBM Belgium) I can take you through it, now.

First, the prerequisites :

• z196 Enterprise System processor with AWLC pricing
  
• z/OS V1.10, or higher, with SMF APAR OA31615
• Installation and use of SCRT V19.2.0
• Use of the SCRT IWP control statement

What is it ? In short : if you have running some IPLA software in an LPAR (actually it's restricted to some Websphere products) then you might see a reduction of the MSUs of some MLC softwares that are also running in that same LPAR.

What's the story ? You might remember that some IPLA softwares are eligible for Getting Started Subcapacity Pricing. For example, a Web Application Server is running in a large partition with a rather small workload. Normally, this IPLA software is execution-based. So you have to buy as many Value Units as needed to cover for the entire LPAR. With the Getting Started pricing, the workload of the Websphere Application Server is measured and you only have to have enough Value Units to cover for the actual workload - following certain rules of course.

Now, with Integrated Workload Pricing (IWP) we go one step further. In the announcement you find a list of Websphere IPLA products which are called the defining programs. Next to that there's a list of MLC programs which are eligible to be adjusted by IWP. This boils down to let's say all CICS and IMS versions. The MSUs of these softwares are lowered based on the utilisation of the defining programs, which have to be present in the same LPAR.

How is this calculation done ?
"SCRT calculates the 4-hour rolling average of the general purpose processor time consumed by the IWP Defining Programs and subtracts those values from the traditional sub-capacity values for the MLC programs eligible to be adjusted by IWP, on an hour by hour basis, per LPAR". This can give you a lower MSU value for your CICS and/or IMS products.

You can find more information on Software Pricing on the IBM System z Software Pricing page and there's also already a section on IWP pricing.