Overview

ZIF (zIIP Facility) is a Beta Systems component that supports IBM's z9 Integrated Information Processor (zIIP), a special processor for IBM System z9 mainframes. The zIIP is used to offload and process certain selected functions from universal central processors. It is designed to optimize the use of available resources, and can thus contribute to a reduction in software costs.

BSA and Beta Systems products can use zIIP, for example, for offloading compression. Beta 92 can also use zIIP for the batch find function.

Prerequisites and restrictions

In order to use ZIF, the following prerequisites and restrictions must be observed:

• A zIIP processor must be available (hardware).
• The Beta Systems product must support the use of zIIP (for example, by using compression).
• A connection between the Beta Systems product (requestor) and the Workload Manager (WLM) must be available.

Enabling ZIF

ZIF is enabled by coding the corresponding LST parameter(s) in the parmlib member that is used by the product or component.

For example, to enable ZIF in the BSA X-System Router (Beta 02), code the parameters B02_WLM_SUBSYS_TYPE and B02_WLM_SUBSYS_NAME in the active B02LSTxx member (see "LST parameters for ZIF").

ZIF activation

The z/OS Workload Manager (WLM) handles the functionality that enables programs to route to zIIP the parts of their workload that run over preemptable enclave SRBs. Provided that the appropriate LST parameters have been set, the following takes place when a started task or RFF batch job is started:

• A connection to the z/OS WLM is set up automatically
• The BSA WLM/zIIP environment is set up
• The appropriate enclave is created
• A startup message (xxx9181I) is written to SYSLOG and JESMSGLG (see BSA Messages and Codes)

Offload value

The offload value for ZIF is 100%; i.e. 100% of the SRB is processed by the zIIP. If the zIIP is already operating at full capacity, the SRB will be processed by a universal central processor.