RealDolmen z Systems e-zine 23

 The 23rd issue of our RealDolmen z Systems Newsletter was sent out yesterday. You can download it over here. Just like the last times, there's just an English version. No more Dutch or French versions. Some of it has already been posted over here too.

The content ? There are three major topics. One about the new evolutions on the DS888x, I published earlier over here, one about LinuxONE and finally there's some extra publicity for the IBM Benelux Study Tour with a more elaborate agenda. I also focus on some announcements, as usual there are some hints and tips and of course the usual table of EOS dates of the operating systems is also present again.

Enjoy the reading !

End of Support for IBM z Systems selected products

Here's an announcement for some IPLA (OTC) and ICA (MLC) softwares that will no longer supported : 'Software withdrawal and support discontinuance: IBM z Systems platform selected products (ZP15-0387)'. You should really check the list to see if anything applies to your shop, but here's a couple of them.

There's e.g. IBM Wave for z/VM V1.1.0 that will no longer be serviced after November 6, 2016. As of September 30, 2016 z/OS V1.13 will no longer be supported, but that was already known of course. Time to plan your upgrade to z/OS V2. The same goes for IBM Enterprise PL/I for z/OS V4.2 which is replaced by IBM Enterprise PL/I for z/OS V4.5.

End of Marketing - End of Service

Last week some one asked me the difference between End of Marketing - End of Service and End of Support. Perhaps it's interesting to share that information with you as well.

End of Marketing is the date IBM stops selling a product. This is always announced well beforehand through, yes, the announcements, or as it's also called, the IBM Offering Information Page. Mind you, most of the time, withdrawal of marketing is announced at a feature level. Take e.g. the DS8000, you've seen pass by a lot of announcements regarding e.g. the DS8300. They do not withdraw THE DS8300 all at once. And I must admit, sometimes it's a bit of a puzzle. Can I still order the base frame, an expansion frame, this kind of disks or that kind of adapter. You sometimes really have to dive into the announcements. When you don't find the answer on my blog, that is, of course.

I don't find any real evidence about this but I'm pretty sure End of Service and End of Support are the same. I think the official term is End of Service. This means you can no longer get the official support from IBM for a specific product. A product can mean hardware or software of course.

So, there's a couple of places where you can look for End of Marketing and End of Service information. Officially it's always in the announcements. Allthough I must say that I usually go looking in the 'Sales Manual' which you can also look for on the same Offering Information Page. At the beginning you always find the 'Marketing Withdrawn' and 'Service Discontinued' dates. Be sure, however, to look in the right region. Because there are differences.

There are some pages where you can also find information for specific products.

• z/VM has its own IBM page where you can find a summary.
• z/VSE also has it, but pay attention, it's split into two : there's a page for the supported versions and a page for the unsupported versions.
• Or you can find our latest newsletter. There's always an overview of the latest operating systems as well, including z/OS.
• Another important one is the Support Lifecycle page where you can find lifecycle information for all softwares.
• And there's another document I sometimes refer to where you can find information on the mainframe lifecycles. You can find it on TechDocs.

Because of the Mainframe Lifecycle document I must repeat my caution that you really have to check things for your own region. I had a look at the document and was quite suprised to find out that the z900, the z800 and the z990 were already End of Service as of December 31, 2014. So I had another look at the Sales Manuals only to find out that this was only the case for the North American Region and that for EMEA no End of Service was announced yet !

z Systems Software withdrawals

It's still some getting used to : z Systems instead of System z but we'll get used to it. Yesterday IBM announced some End of Service dates for z Systems software : 'Software withdrawal and support discontinuance: IBM z Systems platform selected products (ZP15-0054)'.

I guess you'd best browse through the list to see whether any of your software products are still present. Some of the softwares get no replacement.

I just want to point out one : z/VM 6.3 (5741-A07) will be be withdrawn from service on December 31, 2017. This is good news, I guess, since it's more than half a year later than what was first communicated. The z/VM End of Service Chart still mentions April 30, 2017. Obviously, no replacement is mentioned for the moment.

Exit Lifecycle Extension - Enter Extended Support

In our last newsletter I already mentioned that after z/OS 1.11 there would no longer be the possibility to get Lifecycle Extension support. And you also know that z/OS 1.12 is Out of Support by the end of September. Up to now we only saw some graphs indicating that after the End of Support, you would immediately get into 'Extended Support', as you can see below.

Click on image for larger version

Now there's an announcement making this official 'IBM Software Support Services - service extension offers defect support for IBM z/OS V1.11 and V1.12 beyond the z/OS end-of-service date (ZS14-0025)'. It's a "fee-based corrective service to users who have not completed their migration to a newer z/OS release" for a period of 3 years. z/OS 1.11 is an exception as it gets only 2 years after the Lifecycle Extension period.

As for the content : "IBM Software Support Services - service extension provides corrective service (a fix, bypass, or restriction to a problem) for your z/OS V1.11 and V1.12 operating systems". The ordering pretty much resembles that of the Lifecycle Extension : "Service extension support for both V1.11 and V1.12 requires a minimum three-month purchase and offers flexibility in support of your individual migration plans, either for single machines or for machines configured within a Parallel Sysplex".

zEC12 and zBC12 the last System z servers to support z/VM 5.4

This might be an interesting bit of information I came across today for customers still using z/VM 5.4. In the announcement of z/VM 6.3 there was also this statement of direction :

"Stabilization of VM z/V5.4 support
The IBM zEnterprise EC12 and IBM zEnterprise BC12 are planned to be the last System z servers supported by z/VM V5.4 and the last System z servers that will support z/VM V5.4 running as a guest (second level). z/VM V5.4 will continue to be supported until December 31, 2014, or until the IBM System z9® EC and IBM System z9 BC are withdrawn from support, whichever is later. Refer to Withdrawal Announcement ZP12-0335, dated August 07, 2012".

So, just keep it in mind : z/VM 5.4 will no longer be supported on the next generations of System z in any form.

By the way, 'stabilization' is a typical IBM word with a specific content. It always gets my immediate attention because it really means : we immediately stop all further effort for this product and from now on it's a dead end street.

IBM Software Product Compatibility Reports

You've surely noticed I haven't been that prolific over the past months. I guess it's just the story we see a lot these days. Do more with less (time). So I have other things up my alley than just mainframe. But, once a mainframe blogger, always a mainframe blogger, no ? So I've kept some links, I'd still like to share with you in the coming posts. I guess some stuff might be a bit outdated for those who follow everything closely. But if I only come to have a good look at them now, and get rid of the rubbish, perhaps it's the first time you see them too.

So, let's start with something useful. Here's a site that can give you a lot of information : Software Product Compatibility Reports. The name says it all.

As you can see on the screenshot (click on it for a larger view) there's a lot of possiblities. You can check compatibility with operating systems, you can ask for prerequisites, you can even ask for End of Service dates.

Let's put it to the test with CICS TS 5.1. I click on the first report and if you follow with me yourself you'll see that you'll get a screen where you can give in your software. I just put CICS, press the search button and I get a list of CICS products. I select CICS Transaction Server and the system asks me for a version. I select '5.1' and click the 'submit' button. Result : you have to have z/OS 1.13 for it.

All the reports work a bit the same way. I also kind of like the End of Service Report. There you can create an entire list of softwares with their different versions. What's nice is that you can export that list. Every once in a while you can come back here and you just import your list and see if anything has changed. Here's an example. You can decide the beginning date yourself. Once again, click on it for a clear view.

Just go and try some of the other options. I've got this one bookmarked, for sure.

Software withdrawal and support discontinuance: IBM System z selected products

Last one for this week : 'Software withdrawal and support discontinuance: IBM System z selected products (ZP13-0022)'. There's a whole list of softwares for which support will no longer be provided. Dates range from July 26, 2013 up to September 30, 2014. Just take a look whether there are products involved that you are using.

I just want to point out a couple of them. There's e.g. z/VSE V4.3 (5609-ZV4) that will be withdrawn from service on September 30, 2013. Replacement is of course z/VSE V5.1 (5609-ZV5).  Along with that is the replacement of z/VSE Central Functions V8.3 (5686-CF8) by z/VSE Central Functions V9.1 (5686-CF9)

Another one is IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS V4.1 (5655-S71) that will be replaced by IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS V4.2 (5655-S71). End of Service is on April 30, 2014.

A new z/OS release every 2 years !

This morning I posted about a statement of direction about changing the pace of releases of z/OS. Well, since then, I've been receiving some more information about this.

There will indeed be a new release every 2 years from now on. So, the next release will be in the second half of 2013. Some other interesting bits of information :

• IBM intends to keep the N-2 compatibility so that customers can still migrate 1 or 2 releases forward. This means you might choose to only migrate every 4 years.
• In order to support this scheme, the support for currently available releases (z/OS 1.12 and z/OS 1.13) will be adjusted in order to allow clients to bridge to the new release cycle.
• z/OSMF releases should also be following the same release pattern.
• Selected features may become available in between releases through e.g. SPE's

Well, that's it for now. And you know the drill : as long as it's not officially announced, IBM might still change things. More info should become available within the next 60 days.

A new z/OS release every 2 year ?

I won't pretend to be the first to publish about this, because I just read it in Cheryl Watsons List which I received this morning. If you don't receive it yet, you can find the content over here.
So Jeff Magdall, z/OS program leader from IBM, held the MVS Program Opening and Keynote at Share yesterday. Don't go looking for the presentation, it's over here, but for the moment, there's just a title slide.

So, what's it about ? I'll quote Cheryl's list :

"Today at SHARE, Jeff Magdall, z/OS Program Leader from IBM, described an upcoming SOD (Statement of Direction) for z/OS. Starting with z/OS 1.13, z/OS releases will now be available every other year instead of every year. That means that the next release of z/OS will be the second half of 2013 (not September 2012, as expected). I think this is terrific news for our customers! IBM has found that only 5% of z/OS customers migrate every year, while the great majority of customers migrate every other year or so".

So what could the release scheme look like then ?

TO AVOID ANY CONFUSION I REMOVED THE GRAPH + MOST OF THE COMMENTS ON IT AS IT WAS DEFINITELY NOT CORRECT

(...)
If, I say, if EOS dates should move up one year, perhaps some customers will have their releases longer supported or they might save some money by avoiding Lifecycle Extension Support on their current release.

As soon as anything official comes out, I'll definitely share all the details with you.

System z EOS announcements for DB2 and z/VM

I'm a bit late, I know, with last weeks announcements. But you know what they say : better late than never. I'll start off with the System z announcements and make another post on the storage announcements.

New End of Support (EOS) dates are announced for a range of products : 'Software withdrawal and support discontinuance: IBM System z selected products (ZP12-0021)'. I'm not going to list them all but next to some Websphere, Tivoli, IMS, TPC and other products there's first of all the End of Support date of DB2 for z/OS 9.1 on June 27, 2014. A bit more than 7 years after GA. If you're still on V8, don't forget that the EOS date is in a couple of months on April 30, 2012. You might very well consider skipping DB2 9 altogether and do a skip level migration to DB2 10.

By the way, I just added a Belgian GSE DB2 Working Group meeting to the agenda. It's at the Colruyt site in Halle on Thursday March 15, 2012 and the meeting is entirely dedicated to DB2 V10 migration experiences. Speakers are John Campbell (IBM Distinguished Engineer) and Michael Dewert (IBM Germany).

Next to that, there's also the announcement of the EOS date for z/VM 6.1 on April 30, 2013. As you know, that's almost half a year earlier that the EOS date for z/VM 5.4 which is on September 30, 2013. z/VM 6.1 is to be replaced by z/VM 6.2.

IBM Mainframe Lifecycle

Here's a nice picture about the IBM Mainframe Lifecycle. I don't think it needs any explanation.

Click on picture to enlarge in new window

You can find the file over here. Thanks to Don Clarke and Francois Lord for this nice document.

By the way, keep in mind that the End of Marketing date for the z9 EC and z9 BC is closing in fast now : June 30, 2010.

2008 End Of Support Dates

Looking forward now again.
I think this is one of my shortest posts ever and it's self explanotory, so if the shoe fits . . .

• 30/06/2008
  EOS DB2 UDB Server for OS/390 and z/OS 7.1.0 (5675-DB2)
• 30/09/2008
  EOS z/OS 1.7.0 (5694-A01)
  
• 05/11/2008
  EOS IMS 8.1.0 (5655-C56)
  

End Of Support Dates

Finding the right End Of Support (EOS) dates can be quite a time-consuming business. The questions we usually have about our software is : how long is it still supported, are there any successors available yet and how long can we still order them.

The one and only really correct source is of course the announcement letters. But there's another page where you can find this information : the IBM Software Support Lifecycle page. I mention it because it has recently been changed ... and for the better, I think. You can start with choosing a category but I prefer to just select the ‘Software A to Z’ link. Formerly you only got a list with software and their EOS dates. Now you can run through the list and select your own software on the check box in front of it. One random example : suppose you're still running CICS Transaction Server 2.2 then you can check that version but you might also want to select all succeeding versions (as in the illustration below).

That way you can run through all pages and check all your softwares.After that you can ask to 'View Details' and you get the following details :

For every release, you see three lines with dates ànd the associated Announcement Letter :

• GA (General Acceptance) : it is delivered from this date onwards
  
• EOM (End Of Marketing) : how long can you still order this release
  
• EOS (End of Support)

So if you want to upgrade your CICS to Transaction Server V3.1, you'd better already have it, because since June 29th, 2007 you can no longer order it.

What could still be better ?
Actually it would've been nice if you'd be able to save your software list. That way you could easily come back every now and then to check out your personal list. And secondly, I'd like to make a regional choice so that I would be able to have the European Announcement Letters listed instead of only the American ones now.

Software withdrawal IBM System z Products

Yesterday IBM announced a list of products that will be withdrawn from marketing (WDFM).
Regarding the operating systems z/VSE 3.1 will be WDFM on May 31, 2008. But perhaps more important : z/OS.e 1.8 - as you know this is the last version of z/OS.e - will be WDFM October 22, 2007. If I'm not mistaken, that's about a month later than z/OS 1.8 itself. So what's the planning for z/OS.e ?

• March 31, 2007 : Withdrawal from service of z/OS.e V1.4 and z/OS.e V1.5
• September 30, 2007 : Withdrawal from service of z/OS.e V1.6
• September, 2008 : Planned withdrawal from service of z/OS.e V1.7
• September, 2009 : Intended withdrawal from service of z/OS.e V1.8
  

As we all know, time flies by : so there's about 2 years left to transfer to zNALC pricing.