IBM Support

CICS TS and IBM z14 compatibility and benefits

Question & Answer


Question

Can CICS Transaction Server for z/OS (CICS TS) run on the new IBM z14 hardware? As I consider upgrading to a z14, I would also like to make sure I understand the benefits of running CICS TS on the z14.

Answer

CICS TS support for z14

All in-service releases of IBM CICS Transaction Server for z/OS (CICS TS) support IBM z14 (z14) hardware. If you use CICSPlex SM workload management, then the following APARs are recommended:

No other APARs or parameter changes are required.

Potential benefits

A number of new and extended facilities are delivered by z14 and can be exploited by a CICS system. In particular, these facilities give CICS TS clients, at an appropriate level of z/OS, the potential to benefit from:

  • Pervasive Encryption, by specifying encryption for any user data sets and appropriate CICS system data sets that might contain sensitive data. For more on IBM Z, z14, and enterprise encryption, refer to the News release IBM Mainframe Ushers in New Era of Data Protection.

  • Java exploitation of z14 facilities, where CICS Java workloads can benefit from the exploitation of z14 facilities by the IBM SDK for z/OS Java Technology Edition, Version 8 Service Refresh 5 (Java 8 SR5). Java 8 is supported by all releases of CICS TS Version 5, and all in-service releases of CICS TS support a release of Java that is supported on z14 hardware. Depending on the workload, Java 8 SR5 can exploit enhancements to SIMD instructions and cryptographic acceleration, along with hardware enhancements which enable reduced-pause garbage collection. SMT-2 performance is also improved in z14 which can benefit any zIIP-eligible workloads, including those utilizing Java in CICS. Furthermore, CICS can provide the capability to serve COBOL, PL/I and Java applications in the same address space.

  • Further improvements in cryptographic performance. z14 delivers cryptographic performance improvements with the Crypto Express6S and the IBM Z processor-based cryptography with the CP Assist for Cryptographic Function (CPACF). CPACF provides hardware accelerated encryption on every core and is designed to provide faster encryption and decryption than previous servers. These cryptographic improvements can benefit both Java and non-Java workloads in CICS TS.

  • Faster processing with z14, which features the industry's fastest microprocessor, running at 5.2GHz. Depending on the workload, CICS workloads running on z14 might see approximately a 10% increase in Internal Throughput Rate (ITR) over z13 (the actual throughput will vary based on aspects such as the workload and configuration).

Many of the other facilities and capabilities available with z14 might also be of interest to CICS TS clients, including IBM Machine Learning for z/OS, exposure of RESTful APIs using z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition, the provisioning and delivery of cloud services, and a new software pricing model that is tied to business value. For other news about the latest developments in CICS, subscribe to the IBM Z Systems Software Newsletter.

[{"Type":"MASTER","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB35","label":"Mainframe SW"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU058","label":"IBM Infrastructure w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SSGMGV","label":"CICS Transaction Server"},"ARM Category":[{"code":"a8m0z000000cwhqAAA","label":"Installing Configuring and Upgrading"}],"ARM Case Number":"","Platform":[{"code":"PF035","label":"z\/OS"}],"Version":"All Versions"}]

Product Synonym

CICS/TS CICSTS CICS TS CICS Transaction Server

Document Information

Modified date:
25 August 2022

UID

dwa1390924