SPARTA News November 2009

SPARTA President’s Corner

by Brad Carson

This month we are very honored that well-known z/OS Performance and Tuning consultant Cheryl Watson of Watson and Walker will talk to us about her recent work with IBM on Mean Time to Recovery. I look forward to seeing you all on December 1st at SAS.


Future Speakers
(subject to change)


Dec. 1 Mean Time to Recovery by Cheryl Watson of Watson and Walker
(Special Date and Location: SAS Institute Inc.)

Jan. 26 All About Encryption by Phil Smith of Voltage Security

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.

2009-2010 SPARTA
Board of Directors

Brad Carson - President
LabCorp 336-436-8294
3060 S. Church St.
Burlington, NC 27215

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.

“CBT Tape” Shareware 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 LabCorp or Ed Webb at SAS (see Board of Director’s list for contact info).

Minutes of the October 27, 2009 Meeting

•Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Brad Carson, the Chapter President.

•The meeting was held at LabCorp in RTP, N.C.

•Sixteen (16) people were present; thirteen (13) were members.

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

•The minutes of the September 2009 meeting were accepted as published in the October 2009 newsletter.

•Tommy Thomas, the Chapter Treasurer gave the Treasurer's Report. As of October 17, 2009, the balance is $1057.60. Motion was made and approved to accept the Treasurer's Report as published in the October 2009 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 page is available. To access the SPARTA Web page, point your Web browser to this site: http://www.spartanc.org. Please send any comments or suggestions about the Web page to Mike Lockey. Be sure to check the Web page every once in a while to see any new or changed information.

•Future Speakers and Topics:
(subject to change)

November (Special Date Dec. 1, 2009 at SAS) Cheryl Watson of Watson and Walker (www.watsonwalker.com)
December 29 No meeting!
January 26, 2010 “All About Encryption” by Phil Smith of Voltage Security
February 23, 2010 “JES3 Workflow” by Greg Thompson of IBM
March 30, 2010 “SHARE Update” by Share Attendees

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

•The rescheduled November SPARTA meeting will be December 1 at SAS in Cary.

•Food for the December meeting will be determined based on how many sign up for the meeting (food, drinks, and dessert will be provided).

•Brad reminded everyone to keep the conference room clean.

NEW BUSINESS

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

•The business portion of the meeting ended at 7:45 p.m.

•Jim Ott of Triangle Systems, Inc., spoke about IOF Release 8D, the newest update.

Some of the topics presented were:

. Significant new function
. Send output via e-mail or FTP
. SNAP to z/OS UNIX file
. Sort Enhancements
. Browse Enhancements
. LOG Enhancements
. New Management Features
. Supports z/OS through V1R11

IOF Version 8D was available Q2 2009

IOFSEND batch procedure - uses XMITIP from Lionel Dyck - freeware fully supported
PC e-mail or FTP sends easy to setup, packaged as HTML
E-mail title is taken automatically from the job name
Entire or selected portions of a job can be sent to your PC as a ZIP file
Can send e-mail notifications any time job runs
Many send examples given in JCL statements
ZIPed output files can be password protected
New Profile options
Supports all version of z/OS through V1R11

IOF Version 8D required for JES2 V1R11

Many of the new functions were based on customer requests and interactions.

For more about IOF 8D, go to: http://www.triangle-systems.com/n10709.shtml

For many more details, see the March 3, 2009 SHARE Presentation S2657.

•Meeting ended at 9:00 p.m.

Treasurer’s Report for November 2009

contributed by Tommy Thomas

The balance in the account is $904.18 as of November 19, 2009.

Financial Report
3/01/2009 through 11/19/2009

Items of Interest

SPARTA Schedule and Menu for 2009

contributed by Tommy Thomas and Chris Blackshire

Dec. 1 - Deli Tray (Nov. 24 is Thanksgiving week)
Dec. 29 - No meeting. Happy Holidays!


DS8000 Architecture Redbook Updated

contributed by Ed Webb

Just in case you missed it, the DS8000 Redbook now includes recent enhancements to the DASD subsystem.

IBM System Storage DS8000: Architecture and Implementation
Revised: November 13, 2009 ISBN: 0738433624 620 pages
Explore the book online at http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg246786.html?Open


Cloud Computing for the Mainframe...

contributed by Ed Webb

Here’s an excerpt from a recent Mainframe Executive article (please read the entire article here):

Cloud Benefits

The benefits of cloud computing are instant access to vastly scalable IT resources and lower cost. Its pay-per-use model reduces capital costs associated with IT infrastructure while lowering operational expenses.

“Cloud computing is complementary to today’s mainframe data center,” says Richard Payling, Capgemini vice president for global outsourcing. “It enables things that weren’t previously possible because IT resources were too costly.”

For organizations that need to scale fast, up or down, to accommodate wildly fluctuating demand, cloud computing offers a solution. Similarly, for organizations that need a highly variable cost structure to support a wide range of service levels at different price points, cloud computing promises the right business model.

The mainframe certainly can play in this game.

“Cloud computing is just another opportunity for the mainframe to grow,” says [Vincent Re, CA senior vice president]. “If nothing else, it makes it acceptable to put more things on the mainframe.”

Data center managers can’t argue with that.


Humor


Random Thoughts

contributed by Duane Reaugh

1. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

2. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

3. MapQuest really needs to start their directions at #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

4. There is a great need for sarcasm font.

5. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

6. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

7. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

8. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

9. Was learning cursive really necessary?

10. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never clean this ever.

11. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

12. I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

13. Bad decisions make good stories.

14. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

15. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren’t doing anything productive for the rest of the day.  

Membership Information

Don’t Forget the Next SPARTA Meeting

Special Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2009
7 p.m. (Food at 6:15 p.m.)

Special Location: SAS Building F in Cary

Take I-40 to Exit 287 Harrison Avenue Cary and go south (left over I-40 from Raleigh or right off I-40 from Durham). Turn left onto SAS Campus Drive at the traffic light. Go about a quarter mile or so. At the gate, tell the guard you are attending the SPARTA meeting. Take the first left for the most parking opportunities and walk across SAS Campus Drive to Building F. Go in the rightmost entrance to see Ed Webb. Here’s a map to SAS http://support.sas.com/training/fyi/ca_map.pdf and a map of the SAS campus http://support.sas.com/training/fyi/ca1_map.pdf.

SAS is a tobacco-free company
Smoking or the use of smokeless tobacco products is prohibited in SAS buildings, in company or personal vehicles, or anywhere on the SAS World Headquarters campus.

Free Food: Deli, Fruit and Veggie Trays, Drink, Dessert

Program:

Mean Time to Recovery

Speakers:

Cheryl Watson of Watson and Walker

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

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