Service Description

We provide managed mainframe hosting solutions for mission-critical z/OS applications for state and local governments, municipalities and school systems.

Our Service Support is responsible for making hardware and operating system environments available that enable fast and reliable processing. IBM mainframes and virtual storage in disk and tape provide a complete system for a customer to execute batch or real-time job streams.

Middleware

Our Mainframe and Software Services Management (MSSM) provides software installation, upgrade, and monitoring support for the following Middleware products:

• MQSeries (client not monitored)
• CICS Transaction Gateway (CTG)
• DB2 Connect (client not monitored)
• WebSphere Application Server (WAS) (monitored at platform level)
• IBM MQ Explorer for MQSeries Servers

Benefits

Storage

We offer a wide variety of storage capabilities utilizing tape and disk. These capabilities span the mainframe and open systems environments. We offer multiple disk and tape tiers such as high-end disk storage, virtual tape, mid-range disk storage, NAS devices, serial ATA disk systems, SAN attached storage and content addressable storage.

Our storage offerings also come with standard reporting capabilities that provide utilization, performance and trending information. We routinely collect projection information from our customers in order to provide appropriate capacity planning for all storage offerings.

Customers will realize the following benefits:

• Safe, secure, redundant hardware and operating systems that allow customers to run mission-critical z/OS applications for state and local governments, municipalities, and school systems
• 24/7 monitoring for unusual behavior and error conditions, as well as hardware, applications, and operating systems failures utilizing a variety of tools
• The system capacity is tracked and monitored to ensure the timely provisioning of adequate processing resources.

Disaster Recovery

• We utilize Hitachi HUR to perform data mirroring at our Western Data Center (WDC).
  • We mirror mainframe data 24/7 in an asynchronous manner with data current to within 5 minutes or less.
  • Data Mirroring allows us to shorten recovery time and minimize both Mainframe Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO).
• We provide monthly full-pack backups for mainframe systems, applications and data.
  • These backups are secondary and a supplement to the Hitachi HUR process. The backups may be discontinued at some future date. Customers will be notified in advance if the backups are discontinued.

Backups & Tape Vaulting

• Customers may want to create application backups using software available at DIT.
• It is the responsibility of the customer to do full backups if desired.
• Off-site storage or vaulting is available for application backups if desired.
• Datasets written to virtual tape at the EDC are replicated to the WDC.
• We use Hierarchical Store Manager (HSM) for dataset backups, if requested. Customer requirements define the policy.

Program Products and Security

• We support and maintain a wide range of program products that are used by the system, customers, internal technical support or used to monitor the system and applications.
  • These program products are patched and maintained at a current (N) or recent version /level (N-1).
• Upgrades and patches are put through a test, development, and production sequence to ensure that all changes are implemented in a controlled, error-free manner.
  • We utilize IBM's Resource Access Control Facility (RACF) for security and access control.
  • Time Sharing Option (TSO) logins, batch, and application jobs are controlled and restricted to the authority level required to complete the job.

Customers

• State agencies
• Local and county governments

How Do We Charge?

View Billing Rates for This Service

Next Steps

The Hosting Services Implementation group is the designated point of contact responsible for obtaining official customer requirements for Mainframe Hosting services. Architectural and Engineering Services are available to perform a needs assessment based on initial scope determined by the Hosting Services Implementation group.

A Hosting Services Coordinator will put together a project team and create a formal project plan based on the results of the assessment.

The Hosting Services Coordinator is available to assist you to:

• Provide ongoing project management and communication between DIT staff and the customer organization.
• Manage project plans, help mitigate risks and provide escalation when required.
• Prepare server configurations to meet business requirements and provide cost estimates.
• Manage purchase order requisitions and coordinate with hardware and software vendors for delivery of equipment.

To obtain our services:

1. Create a ticket in the NCDIT Service Portal requesting consultation from the Hosting Services Implementation group.
2. A Hosting Services Coordinator will respond directly and schedule a discovery meeting to determine your scope and requirements.
3. The Hosting Services Coordinator will review and analyze your request based on the completed customer questionnaire.
4. An initial meeting is set up to review these requirements.

Communications and Status

If you are a customer of applicable Services updated via the DIT Communications Hub, visit the site to view communications and status, and register to receive emailed notifications relative to the Services. To register for Communications Hub emails, click on “Notifications” on the upper left of the Communications Hub screen, then click on “Notification Subscriptions.” 

• DIT Communications Hub access and registration are restricted to government and educational agencies. 
• The link to the DIT Communications Hub is https://ncconnect.sharepoint.com/sites/DITCommHub.
• If you are unable to access the DIT Communications Hub, contact the DIT Service Desk at (919) 754-6000 or open a ticket in the NCDIT Service Portal.

View Technical Details