What's New?

Recent updates include:

1. Where's the Swami gone and what's he doing?
2. Handouts from The Swami's presentations at recent WAVV meetings
3. The Swami's Services page
4. The Swami's VSAM Class page
5. The Swami's Q and A pages, including the Q and A home page and pages relating to VSAM disk space allocation

What's this site about, anyway?

What's VSAM?

VSAM, the Virtual Storage Access Method for IBM's VSE/ESA operating system provides file system utilities and application programming interfaces to define, optimize and use data stored on Direct Access Storage (disk) subsystems. VSAM is used for both batch and on-line programming systems, by thousands of IBM mainframe systems and millions of users of those systems.

What's VSE?

The IBM VSE/ESA Operating System is in use by thousands of customers with millions of users worldwide. It meets the host computing needs of these customers and users with high performance transaction processing, client-server, and efficient batch processing for these users.

What's CICS?

CICS, the Customer Information Control System, is a comprehensive terminal monitor system used in most IBM mainframe computer systems to manage system resources needed to provide "industrial strength" reliability, availability, and stability for on-line, interactive computer systems. Literally many millions of business users use CICS supported systems daily.

The Swami's Qs & As

The Swami of VSE/VSAM provides Question and Answer services about the usage of VSAM and CICS in the VSE/ESA environment.

The Swami's Performance Consulting Services

The Swami can provide remote (that is, telephone, e-mail, etc.) and on-site performance and availability consulting services ranging from "performance checkups" to detailed tuning recommendations. He can assist you and your staff to ensure that your on-line and batch subsystems best meet the needs of your business.

Benefits of putting the Swami's experience to work for you

Typical environments have seen 20 to 40 percent reduction in CPU and I/O activity for critical jobsteps and on-line transactions. Although individual results will vary, the reductions in system resource load make more capacity available for other system needs immediately.

Education in VSAM use, including design and tuning

The Swami, in conjunction with CPR Systems, offers a comprehensive class in the design and tuning of file systems and applications using VSAM. Find out more about this class and when and where it will be offered.

Who is this Swami of VSAM?

The Swami of VSE/VSAM is Dan Janda, who has been working with VSAM in IBM laboratories and the real world for over 30 years. He has been a frequent speaker on VSAM, VSE, CICS, and performance topics at WAVV, GUIDE, CMG and other meetings around the world. You are visiting his web site at ~theswami