PENN PRINTOUT
The University of Pennsylvania's Online Computing Magazine

PENN PRINTOUT September 1992 - Volume 9:1

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Good Move: UMIS brings Penn's business home

By Celeste Stewart

Students weren't the only ones packing to return to campus this summer. In August, University Management Information Services (UMIS) became the last of three University mainframe operations--joining the Libraries and the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS)--to be converted to a new IBM ES9121/480 mainframe at 3401 Walnut Street. Previously, UMIS mainframe operations were on an IBM 3090/180S managed by Uni-Coll, a computer services firm located at 34th and Market Streets. The packing list for the move would make any computing department think twice. All that equipment had to fit in the new operations room somewhere, and once there, it had to work.


Background

In December, the University purchased a new mainframe from IBM and announced it would consolidate SAS, Library, and UMIS mainframe computing systems. A technical team comprising UMIS Operations, UMIS Technical Resources, Data Communications and Computing Services (DCCS), and University Data Center (UDC) planned the UMIS conversion effort. Key elements in the process were preparing the physical layout of the operations room, training UMIS operations staff, acquiring and establishing in-house laser printer capability, and creating and testing the production environment on the new IBM mainframe.


Moving in

At first glance, reallocating space to accommodate 85 pieces of equipment from Uni-Coll may seem to be a simple task. One look at the floor plan and moving schedule engineered by Russell Carroll, UMIS Director of Operations, however, quickly changes that opinion. UMIS Operations had to acquire, implement, and test all Uni-Coll laser printer software; dismantle a darkroom; precut floor tile to accommodate cables; and install a new 15-ton air conditioner to provide more air circulation for incoming equipment. Additionally, UMIS had to move and reconnect the computers Benhur and Octel with minimum disruption to their users. (Benhur tracks all telephone billing online and Octel manages the University's voice mail system.) Next, UMIS had to connect all equipment in the operations room on the second floor through five inches of concrete to the mainframe on the floor above. Finally, the Facilities Department had to install a new water pump system to improve computer room cooling.


Creating the right environment

According to Ray Davis, UMIS Director of Technical Resources, one feature of the new mainframe, the Processor Resource Systems Manager (PR/SM), allows the physical machine to be divided into logical partitions to provide several different operating environments. Thus, different operating systems can function on the same machine without affecting each other. This is how SAS, Libraries, and UMIS can share one computer.

UMIS Technical Resources had to create the same software production environment that operated on the mainframe at Uni-Coll within the new logical service partition assigned to UMIS. This included copying the operating systems, Customer Information Control System (CICS) regions, applications, and databases to the new mainframe. Since no new versions of software were required, the subtle differences between the mainframe at Uni-Coll and the new ES9121/480 will not affect how customers operate.


So what's in it for customers?

The move makes possible several improved services. Since reports are now printed on campus, UMIS customers will have shorter turnaround times in picking up reports. According to Steve Fausey, UMIS Operations Analyst, two new Xerox 4850 laser printers will enable customers to highlight reports with color. The new laser printers also provide more type styles and fonts. Davis notes that the additional CPU capacity provided by the new IBM mainframe will enable UMIS to accommodate more applications, thereby enabling customers to take advantage of additional computing services.

The most important benefit of the move, however, is that the University can redirect the payments once made to Uni-Coll to Penn programs. Thus, by bringing computer operations in-house, the University continues its effort to use its financial resources more wisely. Now that's a good move.

CELESTE STEWART is a Senior Technical Writer for DCCS/UMIS Publications