LCS Functional Description

One of the key functions of LCS is auditing:

• SCRT processes your SMF data to determine billable MSUs. LCS Audits SCRT to assure the billable MSUs are calculated properly
• Once IBM has your SCRT reports they will generate invoices for MLC products and perhaps for zIPLA products also. LCS's Estimated Invoice report is available when SCRT is run, and can be used to audit IBM's invoices when they are received around the 1st of the following month.

IBM is auditing you; shouldn't you be auditing IBM?

LCS's Mainframe SMF Component runs as a batch job on your mainframe system. (Currently the SMF Component can be used on z/OS or on Windows depending on which platform has your SAS license.) It processes your SMF data and optionally the SYSLOG to analyze which products are running in your LPARs and to determine the simultaneous four-hour rolling averages that are the basis for each product's monthly charges. LCS requires the same SMF type 70 and 89 data as IBM's SCRT. Improved accuracy, precision and value is achieved if LCS can process SMF type 30 data. LCS can use other data sources to identify when products execute which are also used compute more accurate billable MSUs than SCRT which may lead to reduced software charges.

Additional reports to guide fine-tuning the defined capacity parameters are provided if LCS can process SMF type 72 data. To help understand if any SMF data is missing or lost LCS also can process SMF records 0, 22(1), and 90(1,7,10). SCRT will report how much data is available for each LPAR for the month as a percent. SCRT does not help users understand if the data has been lost or if the LPAR was otherwise down. LCS can determine if the data is missing because of an orderly shutdown followed by an IPL, or an IPL without an orderly shutdown. The alternative is that the data has been lost.

The Mainframe SMF Component generates files that you can transfer to the PC and use with the LCS Interactive Reports Component. The interactive reports are Microsoft Excel templates. These provide an important "what-if" capability. The LCS Interactive Reports Component includes tools to help you plan and tune LPARs, study four-hour rolling averages and defined capacity, and analyze IBM's pricing. The Interactive Reports Component can be licensed separately for sites that do not have SAS for the Mainframe SMF Component.

Last Updated: Saturday, 5 July, 2014