During the course of typical processing, before data is written to disk, it is stored in the cache which is backed up by specialist batteries to keep the data viable in the event of unexpected downtime. When the batteries are near end of life, the system issues a message to alert operators to check the battery status and make an appointment for an IBM engineer to replace them. If this message is missed or ignored, for example when the message is issued out of hours or to a particularly stretched management team, batteries may fail and cause the system to begin writing data directly to disk. This process can cause system performance degradation, impacting users and even causing system failure, what’s more the last data collection stored on the cache will be lost.

QSystem Monitor’s cache battery monitor eliminates this from occurring by tackling the issue on several fronts. Firstly, operators now have a fast means of checking the life of each battery network-wide, at any time, via QSystem Monitor’s Online Monitor. This eliminates the laborious checking of each battery of each card on each system. Secondly, they are alerted to the battery issue through real-time prompts so there is no chance that the generic, system generated request could be mistaken for something else. For large networks, a map view can show the location of the problem for easy visual reference. Operators can then take pro-active measures to quickly check the other batteries and schedule a single engineer visit to replace several near end of life batteries rather than wait for the next one to approach expiry.

The manual process of checking also presented a problem of having to enter the SST (System Service Tools) menu to perform a number of commands in order to check the remaining battery life. The SST menu is a sensitive area that should only be accessed by very few authorized people – the consequences of accidentally disabling passwords when looking for battery cache information could be incredibly significant system-wide. The new cache battery monitor ensures this routine task becomes part of the parameters that can be monitored with thresholds away from this sensitive area.

“This is the latest example of how our solutions evolve with unique, innovative features based on real-world customer demands. Cache battery monitoring is not the chore or cause for concern it once was – it can be a simple part of routine network monitoring. Now operators can have an immediate view on all batteries on all the I/O adapters on all partitions or systems in a single window that gives them all the relevant details they need.” - says Paul Ratchford Product Manager, at CCSS,

CCSS develops, supports and markets IBM System i performance monitoring and reporting, message management and remote management solutions. An Advanced IBM Business Partner, CCSS develops powerful solutions to support some of the world’s most demanding System i environments across many industries including insurance, banking, pharmaceutical and manufacturing. All CCSS solutions are IBM Server Proven.

Existing customers that rely on CCSS’s feature-rich solutions include leading organizations such as Volvo, Mattel, Newell-Rubbermaid, and The Royal Bank of Scotland, Siemens Medical, RWE npower and Waterston’s.