Key to Optimizing Efficiency and Performance: Automate Everything Possible

1. World®
’16
Key to Optimizing Efficiency and
Performance: Automate Everything Possible
Michael Kiehl, Product Manager
CA Technologies
MFX117S
MAINFRAME AND WORKLOAD AUTOMATION

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© 2016 CA. All rights reserved. All trademarks referenced herein belong to their respective companies.
The content provided in this CA World 2016 presentation is intended for informational purposes only and does not form any type of
warranty. The information provided by a CA partner and/or CA customer has not been reviewed for accuracy by CA.
For Informational Purposes Only
Terms of this Presentation

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Abstract
Automation and Performance groups have traditionally been reactive to system problems, left to
investigate issues after they have occurred and developing processes to eliminate future
occurrences. However, this perception is starting to change as more corporations are looking
towards using expert systems. Automation and Performance tools have a vast depth of
information available to them that can expedite this transition to adaptive monitoring and
automation policies for mainframe-focused engineering and operations teams. Join your peers in
a discussion about how to take performance and automation to the next level and how to work
through the political resistance.
Michael
Kiehl
CA Technologies
Product Manager

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Agenda
EVOLUTION OF AUTOMATION
WHY AREN’T WE AUTOMATING EVERYTHING?
AUTOMATION TOOLS AND INPUTS
AUTOMATION LIFE CYCLE
EXAMPLES
1
2
3
4
5

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Evolution of Automation
Manual Method
Watching active logs
to identify problems
Semi-Automated
Method
Sending problems to
an alerting system
then investigating via
individual products
Automated Method

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Why aren’t we automating everything?
“The Automated Processes will eliminate my Job.”
“If it’s all automated nobody will remember how
to do it manually. Then if there’s an automation
problem we won’t be able to operate.”
”It’s too difficult a
problem to automate.”
“This action requires
a person to make the
final decision.”

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Getting Past the Politics
§ Over Communication of Process
§ Take it Slow and Build Momentum
– Simple Scripts and Replies
– Monotonous and Time Consuming Daily Functions
– Build Solution Pieces until people are comfortable
§ Cultivate an “Automation Champion”
§ Message “100% Automation is a very long term goal,
assuming it is ever possible. Want to simplify their workload”

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System Level
Automation
Tool
Automation Tools and Inputs
WLM Commands
HMC Users
SYSLOGSYSLOGD
Distributed
Automation
Tool
Workload
Automation
Tool
Performance
Monitor
Network
Monitor
Database
Monitor

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Identify
Problem
Triage
Problem
Develop
Scripts
Document
Implement
• Automate Closest to
the Source
• Verify Intermediate Results
• Exit and Notify on
Unknown Conditions
• Test, Test, Test, and Re-test
• All Stakeholders
should have access
• Easily Understandable
• Reviewable
• Over communicate
• Document Recovery Steps
• Document Required Inputs
and Outputs
• Understand Alternative
Desired Results
Automation Life Cycle

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Examples

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Options:
• Allow Mount
• Disallow Mount
• Leave outstanding for
Manual Intervention
• Do Nothing
Options:
• Need to match Prod, QA,
and Test jobs with list of
tape drives
• Time of Day Criteria
Example:
Tape Mount message
Basic Example
Message Issued
Interrogate
Message
Response Option 1
Response Option 2
Abort

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Options:
• Lower Job Priority
• Cancel Job
• Recheck at a
future interval
• Do Nothing
Factors:
• Determine if
Job is causing
CPU degradation
• Length of time
• Prod, QA, or Test Job
• Time of Day
Pull Job
Performance Metrics
Example:
Job flagged as issuing
high rate of messages
Multiple Inputs Example
Message Issued Correlate Data
Response Option 1
Response Option 2
Abort
Performance
Monitor Metric

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Can Transaction be
Acted On?
Monitor
for Batch
Completion
then
Restart
Transaction
Start
Application
Cleanup
Batch
Schedule
Set Timer to Check
Transaction Status
after 5 Minutes
Monitor System Log
for status Messages
Automation
Cancels Transaction
Metric Triggered
indicating CICS
Transaction using too
much CPU
Complex Example
Performance
Monitor Alert
Issue Command
Set Timer to
Verify
Verify
Success
Abort
Monitor for
Message
Success
Message
Failure
Message
Issue Command
Abort
Monitor and
Verify Cycle
Success
Issue Command
Interrogate
Message
Abort

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Commands Issued
on HMC. Can be
MF or Outboard
Automation ProductMonitor Status
Run Automated
Process to
Shutdown
System
Operator Manually
Issues System
Shutdown Command
Advanced Example
Shutdown
Command
Automated System
Shutdown Process
Set Timer to
Monitor
Verify
Success
Too
Long?
Abort
Issue Load
Command and
Answer NIP
Messages
Run Automated
Process to
Startup
System
Automated
System Startup
Process
Monitor Status
Set Timer to
Monitor
Verify
Success
Too
Long?
Abort

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Questions?

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Mainframe and Workload Automation
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