Sampling TechDocs - up to October 2012

It's been some months, but here I am again with an overview of interesting TechDocs documents I came across while browsing through the latest publications. If you're completely unfamiliar to Techdocs, here's an introduction to it.

• Manual : zLinux – Red Hat Manual Installation Procedure and zLinux – Suse Manual Installation Procedure
  These two manuals by Jibin S Chavara give a brief introduction on installing Linux on System z. Contents cover : Create the New User Profile in z/VM, Preparing the Bootstrap files, Installation Phase, Stage 2 of the Installation...
  

• Document : IBM Mainframe Life Cycle History
  I've mentioned this one before but it has been updated to include the zEC12. So far, none of the System z systems, starting with the z900 in 2000 have become end of support. But you may also know that IBM has become a lot stricter in applying its end of marketing strategy. Marketing for the z10 BC lasted less than 4 years, with a grace period of one year for microcode upgrades. I have the impression that smaller customers do not like this (and you may call this an understatement).

• White paper : IBM z/OS Data Corruption Trends & Directions
  I cannot add anything to the introduction : "The nightly backup window has been with computing since disk and tape were invented. The good news is that with all of the synchronous and asynchronous data replication techniques available in the marketplace, data can be mirrored across the world in seconds. The bad news is that all copies of the data can and will be corrupted within seconds as well. Data Replication has not replaced the need to backup data to protect it from logical data corruption scenarios. Over the last 20 years, Data Backup techniques have improved and for z/OS this paper will explore many of the innovations in the backup/restore arena".

• Technical Document : z/OS Positioning Software for zEnterprise EC12 Server
  Here's another one I mention regularly, but with the announcement of the zEC12, it is definitely worth another look.

• White paper : Best Practices: POR in an STP Environment
  This paper documents IBM-recommended best practices for the power-on-reset (POR) of a server in an STP-only CTN.

Well that's it for now. And, as I always say : just check them out !