Home > Updates > 9 December 2003 Update (this page)

This update includes:

1. IBM Links to LCS,
2. Show of Hands on Moving to WLC, and
3. Sorry, There Are No Rules of Thumb

1. IBM's zSeries Software Pricing website provides a new link: “Check out LCS, a What-If Pricing Tool from Al Sherkow”. LCS can help any site determine if they should use WLC, and after they have made the switch LCS can be used to further reduce software charges and help with WLC optimization. You don't have to go to IBM's site just to use the link, click here to read about our LPAR Capacity and Software Usage Analysis (LCS) Software.

2. During my CMG Sunday Workshop on December 7th, I asked for a showing of hands regarding where different sites were in their analysis or use of Workload License Charges. Of 25-30 sites, one was using Sub-Capacity WLC, and no sites were using Full-Capacity WLC. Still many sites have zSeries machines and are using z/OS. Those sites do qualify for WLC. I did not think to ask "Why are you not using WLC"? The clock is ticking. If your site could reduce their software charges with WLC you want to do it now, not in a few months. Many sites that are using S/390 Usage Pricing have done an analysis and determined that WLC will not reduce their IBM software charges.
   
   Similar to the sites in Workshop, many sites now have zSeries hardware and are on z/OS. If you are on this path, even if you are not there yet, Workload License Charges should be evaluated. If you still have some OS/390 images you can use Full-Capacity WLC until you are all z/OS. If you still have some older hardware you can establish a “transition plan” with IBM, giving you three years to finish moving to all zSeries hardware and z/OS. If you have z800s IBM introduced Entry Workload License Charges in September providing Sub-Capacity pricing for z800s. If your site is smaller than 315 MSUs and you did an analysis before IBM's mainframe charter you need to do it again.

3. The difficulty is that there are no rules of thumb. This is where LCS can help. The LCS Pricing Spreadsheet shows the difference in pricing plans in an easy to use format. The screenshot below shows a z900-210 system, the last colored row shows the differences between PSLC, Full-Capacity WLC and Variable Capacity WLC.
   
   
   In fact there are some rules of thumb related to WLC:
   1. Each site needs to do their own analysis to see if WLC will reduce there software charges.
   2. If you can reduce your software charges with Full-Capacity WLC then Sub-Capacity WLC can only provide further reductions. Sub-Capacity WLC cannot increase your software charges above Full-Capacity WLC. Full-Capacity WLC sets the upper bound on your software charges.

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