SPARTA News June 2006

June 2006

SPARTA President’s Corner

by Brad Carson

June is here and so is hurricane season (in more ways than one). Hopefully no one had any problems when the remnants of tropical storm Alberto passed over the Triangle. We had 5+ inches of rain at the house.

I’ve been having a little fun with a proof of concept project at DHTS. The Alumni application on the University system has no recovery now that they have canceled their BCRS contract with IBM. So they asked us if we could recover their application on our system (to clear a few audit points). So the lead DB2 DBA and I looked over their environment and said we would give it a try. Using a copy of their weekly backup tapes we were able to squeeze their DB2 subsystem down into four 3390 mod 9 volumes and restore their CICS system into less than two 3390 mod 3 volumes. When I setup a CICS region for this it required an old friend of mine: CSP! I haven’t had to mess with CSP since my days at ECU. Well we’ve managed to get the environment built for all online processing and they are testing it out now. We will see about batch processing next.

To celebrate my second anniversary at DHTS, they have decided to move us around again. At least this time, I’m getting an office with a window! Now my radio reception should be better.

At DDA it was moving time. On June 6th, DDA moved into a new set of offices on Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh. To help them out I took care of moving their Flex-ES system from one building to the other. Of course during the move the network was changed and I had to change the IP settings for the Flex system (SCO Unixware), three z/OS images, a z/VM image and VSE/ESA guest. Most of these were easy except for Unixware. You have to update 9 files with IP information should any of that change, and the files are not all in the same directories. Such fun, but I got it all completed and their systems are on the network with no problems.

This month our speakers are Paul Smith and Keith Robertson from IBM to talk to us about Omegamon/XE for Mainframe Networks. I look forward to seeing you all at LabCorp on the 27th.

P.S. Subs, drinks, and dessert will be provided.


Future Speakers
(subject to change)

June 27 - Omegamon XE by Keith Robertson of IBM
July 25 - RACF by IBM

We need ideas and volunteers for future speakers. Presentations don’t have to be fancy, just informative and interesting. Even a 5 or 10 minute talk can start an interesting interaction. Contact Ron Pimblett by phone as noted below.

2006-2007 SPARTA
Board of Directors

Brad Carson - President
Duke Health Technology Solutions 919-668-0545
2424 Ervin Road, Suite 9000
Durham, NC 27710

Ron Pimblett - Vice President
Dignus, LLC 919-676-0847
8354 Six Forks Road
Raleigh, NC 27615

Mike Lockey - Secretary
Guilford Co. Information Services 336-641-6235
201 N. Eugene St.
Greensboro, NC 27401

Tommy Thomas - Treasurer
LabCorp 336-436-4178
231 Maple Ave, Koury Ctr 3rd Fl. 919-361-7267
Burlington, NC 27215

Ed Webb - Communications Director
SAS Institute 919-531-4162
SAS Campus Drive
Cary, NC 27513

Meetings

Meetings are scheduled for the last Tuesday evening of each month (except no meeting in December), with optional dinner at 6:15 p.m. and the meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m.

These monthly meetings usually are held at LabCorp’s Center for Molecular Biology and Pathology (CMBP) near the Research Triangle Park (see last page). Take I-40 to Miami Boulevard and go north. Turn right onto Alexander Drive. Go about a mile or so. Then turn right into LabCorp complex and turn Left to the CMBP Building. In the lobby, sign in as a visitor to see Tommy Thomas. Tommy will escort you to the conference room.

Call for Articles

If you have any ideas for speakers, presentations, newsletter articles, or are interested in taking part in a presentation, PLEASE contact one of the Board of Directors with your suggestions.

Newsletter e-Mailings

The SPARTA policy is to e-mail a monthly notice to our SPARTA-L Group. The newsletter is posted to the website about five (5) days before each meeting so you can prepare. The SPARTA-L Group is maintained by Mike Lockey at (336) 641-6235; if you have corrections or problems receiving your meeting notice, contact Mike.

February 2006 CBT Tape Online

The directory and files from the latest CBT tape V471 (dated February 28, 2006) are available from www.cbttape.org.

If you need help obtaining one or more files, contact Brad Carson at Duke Health or Ed Webb at SAS (see Board of Director’s list for contact info).

Minutes of the May 23rd, 2006 Meeting

•Meeting was called to order at 7:05 PM by Brad Carson, the Chapter President.

•Ten (10) people were present; nine (9) were members.

•Everyone in the room introduced themselves, told where they worked, and briefly described their job function.

•The minutes of April 2006 meeting were accepted as published in the May 2006 newsletter.

•Tommy Thomas, the Chapter Treasurer, gave the Treasurer's report. As of May 16, 2006, the balance is $1536.58. Motion was made and approved to accept the Treasurer's Report as published in the May 2006 newsletter.

OLD BUSINESS

•Articles are needed for this newsletter. If you would like to write an article for this newsletter, please contact Ed Webb. Keep in mind that you don't really need to write the article; it can be an article that you read that you would like to share with the membership.

•The SPARTA Web site is available. To access the SPARTA Web site, point your Web browser to this URL: http://www.spartanc.org. Please send any comments or suggestions about the Web site to Mike Lockey. Be sure to check the site every once in a while to see any new or changed information.

•Brad Carson reminded everyone to keep the conference room clean.


NEW BUSINESS

•Future Speakers and Topics:
(subject to change)

June 2006 IBM Omegamon XE
July 2006 RACF by Mark Nelson of IBM

•Future Topics and Possible Sources
SOA Software for z/OS by Relativity Technologies
Tivoli
Computer Associates

If you have suggestions about speakers and topics, contact Ron Pimblett.

•The June 27, 2006 SPARTA meeting will be held at LabCorp in RTP.

•Food for the June meeting will be subs, drinks and dessert

•Thanks to Tommy Thomas of LabCorp for hosting the meeting.

•The business portion of the meeting ended at 7:55 p.m.

•Jim Ott of Triangle Systems spoke about "What's New in IOF" including the following topics:

IOF Release 8A New Functions

UNIX Processes
Enclaves
Dynamic Option Menu
Global IOF Option Menu Commands
JES2 Resource Monitor
Sort Enhancements
Compatibility Enhancements

IOF Release 8B

Available third quarter 2006
WLM Scheduling Environment
WLM Resources
Health Checker Interface
Others

Summary

•The meeting ended at 8:30 p.m.

Treasurer’s Report for June 2006

contributed by Tommy Thomas

The balance in the account is $ 1675.17 as of June 14, 2006.

Financial Report
3/01/2006 through 06/14/2006

Items of Interest

SPARTA Schedule and Menu for 2006

contributed by Tommy Thomas and Chris Blackshire

June 27 - Subs
July 25 - BarBQ
Aug. 29 - Pizza
Sept. 26 - Chicken
Oct. 31 - Subs
Nov. 28 - BarBQ


Redpiece, Redbook, Redpaper: All Worth A Look

contributed by Ed Webb

Draft

z/OS Planned IPL Avoidance Checklist
Published: May, 25, 2006 More details are available at http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpieces/abstracts/redp4069.html
Redbook

IBM System z9 Enterprise Class Technical Guide
Published: June 14, 2006 ISBN: 0738497142 320 pages Explore the book online at http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg247124.html

Redpaper

Disk storage access with DB2 for z/OS
Published: June, 9, 2006 More details are available at http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpapers/abstracts/redp4187.html


Hybrids Are Coming

contributed by Ron Pimblett

Greenspan Foresees Hybrid Shift
Courier-Journal wire services June 8, 2006

Now that Alan Greenspan is no longer chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, he might be considering a career as a car salesman -- a hybrid car salesman.

"Higher oil prices will inevitably move vehicle transportation to hybrids," Greenspan told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday.

Though the world's most famous central banker retired in January, his opinions are still valued by Congress. The Senate panel invited him back to discuss the risks posed to this country by dependence on foreign oil.

Greenspan, known for his fractured syntax and often inscrutable comments, was clear about one thing: Americans' thirst for oil puts the country at the mercy of hostile foreign oil producers. The only hope for change, he said, is to dramatically lower demand for oil by switching to more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Many Americans might not want to switch from their familiar vehicles to new types, especially gas-electric hybrid cars, he said. But the need to save gasoline will compel people to change their preferences, he predicted.

"We have to make a judgment" that cutting fuel use is important, he said.

Greenspan said high oil prices, exceeding $70 a barrel and pushing gasoline costs beyond $3 a gallon in many areas, are due to a sharp decline in spare global oil production capacity, refinery shortages and, to some extent, market speculation.

But he said market speculators also have been able "to hasten the adjustment" to higher prices and eased the shock to the economy.

So far, the doubling of oil prices since late 2003 has had "little consequence" on the U.S. economy, and probably hasn't caused "serious erosion" of economic growth worldwide, Greenspan said.

Still, the most recent data indicate "some impact" is starting to be felt, he said, and the problem likely will get worse.

"The balance of world oil supply and demand has become so precarious that even small acts of sabotage or local insurrection can have a significant impact on oil prices," he said.


Batteries included: a new generation of hybrid cars
Rob Gerlsbeck
From the June 2004 issue of MoneySense magazine

Here's a tale of two drivers: Elizabeth Wu and Phillip Bidinoff. The couple, both in their mid-30s, own a computer service and network installation business. Visiting clients in the Toronto area means they spend a lot of time on the road. Wu drives about 450 km each week; Bidinoff, over 600 km. But while Wu must fill the tank on her 1997 Acura EL once a week, Bidinoff pulls into the gas station only half as often.

That's because the 2003 Honda Civic Bidinoff bought over a year ago is a hybrid electric vehicle that runs on a combination of gasoline and battery power. "I'm saving money on gas, the emissions are lower, and I feel like I have an extra hour a month because I'm not filling up as much." He admits there's also a certain thrill in trying to make every tank last longer.

Not familiar with hybrid cars? You're not alone. Although the first, the Honda Insight, made its debut back in 1999, only two other gas-and-electric models are available in Canada: the Toyota Prius and a hybrid version of the Honda Civic. Several more will debut later this year, but for now you won't find many in neighbors' driveways. Just 471 Civic hybrids were sold last year in Canada, compared to 65,000 regular Civics. And carmakers aren't exactly marketing the virtues of hybrids the same way they advertise, say, fold-down seating in other vehicles, or the awesome horsepower and maneuvering that let you negotiate treacherous jungle paths and icy mountainsides on your way to work.

But with gas prices rising, hybrids might be a commuter's best friend. During the New York International Auto Show in April, a new hybrid version of Ford's Escape SUV was driven non-stop through the streets of Manhattan until it ran out of gas. That took 37 hours and 927 km. "These are great vehicles," says Karl Brauer, editor-in-chief at Edmunds.com, a U.S. Web site where car buyers can compare resale prices. "If you drive a hybrid 150 or 250 km every day, you're going to save a lot of money on gas."

How much? Consider the Prius, a mid-size sedan that is just about the only car on the road that gets better fuel economy in stop-and-go traffic: 4.0 litres per 100 km in the city and 4.2 on the highway. Drive the Prius 20,000 km a year and you'll spend $556 in gas, according to Natural Resources Canada. A comparable Toyota Camry, which consumes 10.1 litres per 100 km in the city and 6.7 on the highway, will set you back $1,166. Remarkably, the Prius even out-conserves the subcompact Toyota Echo by $312 a year in fuel costs.

Open the hood on a hybrid and you'll see an internal combustion engine (just like the one in your car) and an electric motor, which is wired to a 144- to 300-volt nickel metal hydride battery hidden in the trunk. These two power sources drive the car, although how they accomplish that depends on what kind of hybrid you're looking at. In the Prius, which is known as a full hybrid, the electric motor is capable of moving the car on its own, which it tends to do below 20 kph. Any faster, and the motor and gas engine usually work together. In light hybrids, like the Civic, the gas engine is the main power source, and the motor assists when you accelerate.

There are several misconceptions about hybrid vehicles. "One of the most common questions we hear is, 'When do I need to plug it in?'" says Jim Miller, a spokesman for Honda Canada. "We always say the same thing. 'You don't have to.'" A hybrid recharges itself every time you brake or take your foot off the gas, using a system known as regenerative braking. As the car slows down, the spinning wheels transfer energy back to the battery.

Another myth about hybrids is they are cramped, quirky bubble cars that are radically different to drive. That's not really true. The Prius and Civic hybrids I test-drove handled exceptionally well. Even their lower horsepower wasn't an obstacle Å] I had no trouble passing other vehicles.

But there are differences worth mentioning. Instead of a gentle roll in deceleration, the Civic dragged a bit, which may have been due to the regenerative braking feature and the continuously variable transmission that most hybrids are equipped with instead of a four-speed automatic.

The Prius, meanwhile, seemed to know more about how to run itself than I did. As I backed out of my driveway, the gas engine would suddenly kick in, which surprised me since the electric motor was already running. And because it can drive on electricity alone, the Prius has a few additional quirks that a light hybrid like the Civic doesn't. For instance, an electric motor controlled by a computer handles the power-assisted steering.

One thing I couldn't help but notice in the Civic is a feature called automatic idle stop. If the temperature outside is above freezing, the engine shuts itself off every time the car comes to a stop, and starts again when the brake is let go. Though it takes while to get used to the dead silence at stop lights (hint: turn up the radio) this nifty feature actually saves money since not having your engine idle means you're not wasting gas.

While the trunk space in the current crop of hybrids isn't great, the ones coming on the market should be able to handle all that hockey equipment. These include hybrid versions of Ford's Escape SUV, Toyota's Lexus RX330 SUV and a V6 Accord from Honda. Also coming are hybrid models of two pickups: a GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado. By 2008, there could be up to 30 hybrid models in North America. Some experts see gas-electrics as a stepping stone to the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle of the future.


Humor


True Account

contributed by Chris Blackshire

This is purported to be a true account recorded in the Police Log of Sarasota, Florida

An elderly Florida lady did her shopping and upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her voice,

"I have a gun and I! know how to use it! Get out of the car!"

The four men didn't wait for a second invitation. They got out and ran like mad. The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver's seat.

She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition.

She tried and tried and THEN it suddenly dawned on her WHY!

It was for the same reason she did not understand why there was a football, a frisbee and two 12 packs in the front seat.

A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces further down. She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake. The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn't stop laughing.

He pointed to the other end of the counter where four pale men were reporting a carjacking by a mad, elderly woman described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair and carrying a large
handgun.

No charges were filed.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

If you're going to have a Senior Moment, make it memorable.

Membership Information

Don’t Forget the Next SPARTA Meeting

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Location: LabCorp in the RTP

Take I-40 to Miami Boulevard and go north. Turn right onto Alexander Drive. Go about a mile or so. Then turn right into LabCorp complex and turn left to the CMBP Building. In the lobby, sign in as a visitor to see Tommy Thomas. Tommy will escort you to the conference room.

Free Food: Subs, Drinks, Dessert

Program:

Omegamon XE for Mainframe Networks

Speaker:

Paul Smith and Keith Robertson of IBM

SPARTA News
P.O. Box 13194
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3194



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