Cutting Edge IMS Database Management

Never before has the management of a database been more difficult for those within the IT world. This should not come as a shock to those reading this, especially when you consider how vast the data volumes and streams currently are. The unfortunate news is that these volumes and streams are not shrinking anytime soon, but IT budgets ARE, and so are things such as human resources and technical skills. The question remains...how are businesses supposed to manage these databases in the most effective way? Well, the very factors mentioned above make automation an extremely attractive choice.

Often times, clients have very specific requirements when it comes to automating their IMS systems. Concerns arise such as how to make the most of CPU usage, what capabilities are available, strategic advantages, and how to save with respect to OpEx. These are not simply concerns, but necessities, and factors that almost all clients consider. Generally speaking, these requirements can be streamlined into 2 main categories. The first is how to monitor database exceptions and the second is how to implement conditional reorgs.

Regarding the monitoring of database exceptions, clients must consider how long this process actually takes without automation. Without this tool, it needs to be accomplished manually and requires complicated analysis by staff that is well-experienced in this arena. However, when automation is utilized, policies are the monitors of databases. In this instance, exceptions actually trigger a notification by email which ultimately reports what sort of help is necessary in order to help find a solution to the problem.

Now, don’t hear what we are NOT saying here. Does automation make life easier for everyone? Yes! Is implementing automation an easy and seamless process? No! In fact, automation requires some detailed work prior to setting it up. This work is accomplished so that it is clear what needs to be monitored and how that monitoring should be carried out. Ultimately, a monitor list is created which will help to define and assign various policies. Overall, this list will make clear WHO gets sent a notification in the event of an exception, as well as what type of notification will be sent. Even further, this list will show what the trigger of the exception was, and in the end will assign a notification list to the policy. It may sound like a lot of work up front, but one could argue that it is certainly worth it in the long run.

When it comes to conditional reorgs, automation saves the day once again. Many clients can prove to be quite scattered with respect to their reorg cycle, some even organizing them throughout a spotty 4-week cycle. The issue here is that reorg jobs are scheduled during a particular window of time, without the time or resources even being evaluated. When clients choose to automate a reorg, automation will help determine the necessity of a reorg. The best part of the whole process is that no manual work is needed! In fact, the scheduler will continue to submit the reorg jobs, but execute them only if necessary. Talk about a good use of both time and resources! It ends up being a win-win situation.

Automation often ends up “saving the day” when it comes to meeting and exceeding client goals. Did you know that individual utilities -when teamed with the functionality and the vast capabilities of the automation process- actually improves overall business performance and value? It is true. So, if you are looking for the most cutting edge way to manage your IMS database, looking no further than the process of automation!


Jason Zhang is the product marketing person for Rocket Software's Backup, Storage, and Cloud solutions.