Workload capping – reducing license costs on IBMi

Do you know that by using Workload Capping you can reduce license costs on IBM i Lpar?
Some time ago, IBM gave sets of commands which allow to limit number of processor cores used for a specific job or a subsystem. I will give you an example. There is an IBMi Lpar, it can use up to 10 CPU cores, if you run an software which is licensed based on the number of cores, then you need to pay licenses for 10 CPU cores. Using Workload Capping , you can create a Workload Capping Group and allow this group to use only on 1 CPU core.

The most important information would be ‘What software can take benefit from that’? From my personal experience, I can tell you that you can use it with IBM WebSphere MQ. About the other products I don’t know. I know that some software vendors do not accept Workload Capping in order to reduce license costs ( no wonder why :)) ,  but maybe your vendor allows it, give a try.

To create a workload capping group and limit it to 1 CPU core:

ADDWLCGRP WLCGRP(MYGROUP) PRCLMT(1)

To add a license product to the group:

ADDWLCPRDE WLCGRP(MYGROUP) PRDID(5770xxx)LICTRM(*ALLINS)FEATURE(*ALLINS)

Or add a specific subsystem to the workload capping group by creating a DTAARA:

CRTDTAARA DTAARA(QSYS/QWTWLCGRP) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(2000) VALUE(‘MYSBS     MYGROUP’)

If MYSBS subsystem would be started then in the joblog MSGID CPI146C can be found

Message ID . . . . . . :   CPI146C       Severity . . . . . . . :   00        
Message type . . . . . :   Completion                                         
Date sent  . . . . . . :   17/05/16      Time sent  . . . . . . :   20:41:05  
                                                                              
Message . . . . :   Subsystem MYSBS is using workload capping group MYGROUP.
Cause . . . . . :   Subsystem MYSBS will use workload capping group (WLCGRP)
  MYGROUP when starting new jobs or new routing steps.                        
Technical description . . . . . . . . :   Use the Display Workload Capping    
  Group (DSPWLCGRP) command for more information. 

For more information, check IBM site