Barsa Consulting Group

Automatic Partition Resource Manager^® (APRM)

	Highlights of the NEW V5R4M1 release - - - - - Supports iSeries AND i5 hardware Order a 70-day free trial of APRM
	Highlights of the V5R3M2 release - - - - - Supports iSeries AND i5 hardware
	Highlights of the V5R3M1 release - - - - - Supports iSeries AND i5 hardware
	Highlights of the V5R3M0 release
	Highlights of the V5R2M1 release

Make the most of your
iSeries LPAR investment!

APRM provides continuous, automatic resource tuning among i5/OS (OS/400) partitions on LPAR configured iSeries^™ and System i5 servers. APRM continually monitors memory, processor, and interactive activity, to ensure optimal resources are made available to every partition - without operator intervention!

APRM version V5R3M1 (and later) also supports Linux partitions' resource management to the extent that your version of Linux supports them.

Thus, your iSeries server works more efficiently and smarter to achieve more without upgrading system resources.

Product Overview

Recent releases of the operating system for IBM^® iSeries and System i5 servers include the ability to consolidate servers through the use of logical partitions (LPAR). LPAR allows one physical server to be configured as if it were two or more servers. Configuration of LPAR includes defining the number of processors, amount of memory, and percentage of interactive CPW (Commercial Processing Workload) to be assigned to each partition.

A major challenge of logical partitions is to determine the proper allocation of processing resources among the partitions. Typically, each logical partition is created to perform specific tasks or serve a distinct group within the organization. Each partition will have its own unique set of processing resource requirements.

Monitoring performance may reveal that one partition is starved for processing resources while another has some to spare. Unfortunately, business operations are usually too complex to permit optimal resource distribution through manual or scheduled changes. Managing the configuration to ensure acceptable performance within every partition, throughout the day, can be overwhelming. Businesses that require maximum performance from their partitions are spending valuable time manually moving processing resources among partitions, or, worse yet, masking the problem by overspending on processing resources.

Automatic, continuous balancing of processing resources to maximize iSeries performance

Automatic Partition Resource Manager (APRM) will bring harmony to your logical partition operating environment by automatically moving processing resources to those partitions that are showing distress in any of three areas: CPU utilization, interactive workload, or memory page faults.

Quick, simple configuration of tuning rules

One convenience of APRM is the ease with which you are able to define tuning rules to manage your processing resources. APRM is simple to install, easy to customize to your operating requirements, and operates with minimal processing resources.

Efficient use of processing resources among partitions

Resource movement occurs when partition activity indicates a need, based on a combination of internally defined measurements of processing workload and client-configured resource allocation ranges and priorities - not just a temporary increase in resource utilization. APRM eliminates processing resources being underutilized and ensures resources are distributed based on priorities and need.

Reduce cost of ownership for the iSeries server

APRM operates seamlessly from the primary partition to monitor partition performance and, when necessary, move resources among partitions. By maximizing the use of processing resources across all partitions, APRM maximizes your iSeries LPAR investment.

Ability to switch IOPs among i5/OS (OS/400) partitions

Switching IOP resources among partitions provides a seamless method of sharing hardware resources such as tape or CD drives. IOP resources can be moved using an OS/400 command or programmatically.

Monitor and report partition workloads

APRM collects workload statistics from each partition every 15 seconds. Data is then analyzed and used to determine if, and when, resources will be moved. APRM users can easily view current statistics through the GUI interface or an i5/OS (OS/400) utility.

Review APRM Tuning History

APRM provides an effortless method of extracting historical tuning data for your review. Data can be summarized by minutes, hours, or days. Tuning data can be quickly formatted and charted using the APRM Microsoft® Excel add-in feature or the data can be imported into any one of many PC-based applications.

Architecture

Agent Handlers, which reside in the primary partition, collect performance statistics from APRM agents, located in each partition, and make these statistics available to the APRM Tuner. The Tuner managers all changes in the allocation of processing resources.

APRM can be configured and managed through an OS/400 based utility or through an APRM plug-in for Operations Navigator.™

Simple yet effective!

Technical Requirements

	iSeries server configured with a minimum of two logical partitions.
	The primary partition must be operating at OS/400 V5R1 or later.
	Automatic tuning is only available for partitions operating at OS/400 V5R1 or later.
	Secondary partitions that you wish to have APRM report workload statistics must be at OS/400 V4R4 or later or an appropriate version of Linux.

Additional Information

The following PDF files give you more information about APRM.

	IBM RedBook SG24-7174 entitled "Automatic Partition Resource Manager for System i and iSeries"
	Introduction to APRM
	Fine Tuning LPAR using APRM
	Highlights of the NEW V5R4M1 release - - - - - Supports iSeries AND i5 hardware
	Highlights of theV5R3M2 release. - - - - - Supports iSeries AND i5 hardware
	Highlights of theV5R3M1 release. - - - - - Supports iSeries AND i5 hardware
	Highlights of the V5R3M0 release.
	Highlights of the V5R2M1 release.
	APRM FAQ 001 - Why use APRM on a machine with "uncapped processors"?.

For more information, contact us at:

Barsa Consulting Group, LLC
2900 Westchester Avenue
Purchase, New York 10577
914.251.1234
aprmsales@barsaconsulting.com

Automatic Partition Resource Manager® (APRM)