This appendix briefly describes the optional IBM zEnterprise Data Compression (zEDC) Express feature of the IBM z13 (z13), IBM zEnterprise EC12 (zEC12), and IBM zEnterprise BC12 (zBC12) servers. It includes the following topics:

The growth of data that needs to be captured, transferred, and stored for large periods of time is not relenting. In addition, software-implemented compression algorithms can be costly in terms of processor resources and storage costs.

zEDC Express, an optional feature available to z13, zEC12, and zBC12, addresses those requirements by providing hardware-based acceleration for data compression and decompression. zEDC provides data compression with lower CPU consumption than compression technology previously available on the IBM z Systems server.

Using the zEDC Express feature with the z/OS V2R1 zEnterprise Data Compression acceleration capability is designed to deliver an integrated solution to help reduce CPU consumption, optimize the performance of compression-related tasks, and enable more efficient use of storage resources. This solution provides a lower cost of computing and also helps to optimize the cross-platform exchange of data.

zEDC Express is an optional feature (FC 0420). It is designed to provide hardware-based acceleration for data compression and decompression.

The feature installs exclusively on the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) I/O drawer. Up to two zEDC Express features can be installed per PCIe I/O drawer domain. However, if the domain contains a Flash Express or a 10GbE RoCE feature, only one zEDC feature can be installed on that domain.

Between one and eight features can be installed on the system. There is one PCIe adapter/compression coprocessor per feature, which implements compression as defined by RFC1951 (DEFLATE).

A zEDC Express feature can be shared by up to 15 logical partitions (LPARs).

Adapter support for zEDC is provided by resource group code that runs on the system integrated firmware processor (IFP). For resilience, there are always two independent resource groups on the system, sharing the IFP. For availability, install a minimum of two zEDC features, one feature per resource group.

Consider also the total required data throughput. Consider that if one feature becomes unavailable, the other features need to be able to absorb the load. Therefore, for the best data throughput and availability, install at least two features per resource group.

Figure F-1 illustrates the PCIe I/O drawer structure and the relationships among card slots, domains, and resource groups.

Support of the zEDC Express function is provided exclusively by z/OS V2R1 zEnterprise Data Compression for both data compression and decompression. Support for data recovery (decompression) in the case that zEDC is not installed, or installed but not available, is provided through software in z/OS V2R1, V1R13, and V1R12 with the appropriate PTFs. Software decompression is slow and can use considerable processor resources. Therefore, it is not suggested for production environments.

zBNA is a no-charge, “as is” tool. It is available to clients, IBM Business Partners, and IBM employees.

zBNA replaces the BWATOOL. It is based on Microsoft Windows. It provides graphical and text reports, including Gantt charts, and support for alternate processors.

zBNA can be used to analyze client-provided System Measurement Facilities (SMF) records to identify jobs and data sets that are candidates for zEDC compression, across a specified time window, typically a batch window. zBNA is able to generate lists of data sets by job:

Therefore, zBNA can help you estimate the use of zEDC features and help determine the number of features needed: