Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management

Transcription

1 John Inverso Product Report 3 October 2003 Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Summary Computer Associate s Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management tool collects and analyzes the use, cost and performance of mainframe and client/server IT system resources. Table of Contents Overview Pricing Competitors Strengths Limitations Insight List Of Tables Table 1: Overview: Computer Associates Intl. Unicenter NeuMICS Table 2: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Table 3: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Table 4: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Table 5: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Table 6: Price List: Computer Associates Intl. Unicenter NeuMICS Family Gartner Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Gartner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof. The reader assumes sole responsibility for the selection of these materials to achieve its intended results. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.

2 Corporate Headquarters Computer Associates International, Inc. One Computer Associates Plaza Islandia, NY 11749, U.S.A. Tel: (for the U.S.) Tel: (for Canada) Tel: (for North America) Fax: (for North America) Internet: ca.com Overview Table 1: Overview: Computer Associates Intl. Unicenter NeuMICS Product Type Platform Supported Price (US$) System, storage and network management with capacity planning, chargeback accounting, performance and integrated management reporting tools Any IBM Multiple Virtual Storage (MVS), S/390 Sysplex, z/os or OS/390 system Also supports PCs via product extensions. Starts at approximately $30,596 (base product). Table 2: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Open, Modular Architecture Centralized Database Integration Platform Access and Retrieval Facilities Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management is designed around an open-ended, modular architecture consisting of the Unicenter NeuMICS Database, the Unicenter NeuMICS Platform, Data Integration Analyzers and Management Support Applications. The Unicenter NeuMICS Database is a central repository where data from many diverse measurement sources is integrated. The data is organized in a common format, allowing relational access. This provides the basis for the system data analysis and reporting facilities. Inquiry and development features are panel-driven in the base product. The Unicenter NeuMICS Platform allows the system to integrate, customize and perform consolidated analysis of data from a variety of sources. It provides the communications protocols and system linkage conventions that enable all the other parts of the system to function individually or as a whole. These facilities obtain information from the database via a panel-driven application designed for the end user through the capabilities of a full-function, fourthgeneration language (4GL). They contain the Unicenter NeuMICS Information Center Facility (MICF), which provides the means to generate, manage and execute inquiries. It includes over 200 standard reports. 3 October

3 Table 2: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Inquiry Management and Reporting Query and Reporting (Q&R) Data Management Facilities Development and Extension Facilities Open Data Interface Performance Management MICF manages the execution of previously cataloged and newly defined inquiries. Reports and graphics produced can be viewed at a terminal, routed for hard copy or saved for viewing or printing at a later time. It can be used either interactively, in batch mode or through the Production Reporting facility which executes inquiries automatically and allows users to select inquiries from a menu. In a recent Product Service Pack (PSP0204), MICF Production Reporting has been enhanced with the capability of directing output as HTML pages, viewable by an Internet browser. Workstation reporting facility that can access both Unicenter NeuMICS mainframe data and any z/os or OS/390 Statistical System (SAS) database via a three-tier processing architecture. The workstation is used to generate a request for data and to automatically graph and chart the returned information. Data can be further enhanced and manipulated with desktop tools, such as MS-Excel, an included graphics engine provided with release 2.5, or CA s Cleverpath CA-Visual Express Reporter. Can automatically distribute database query results via Web/intranet applications Features user-controlled Web charting capabilities Integrated with Unicenter Network and Systems Management (NSM) An optional workstation-based query facility Provide the data management and all administrative functions for the system. The functions controlled include the following: Data summarization Database updating and archiving Schedule and control Data integrity Installation and tailoring Online administration Online maintenance The tools and definitions for tailoring the database and customizing and extending Unicenter NeuMICS applications The Application Generator can be used to create unique applications for additional data sources. It supports SAS-based input. An external data facility (Component Generator) allows clients to create Field- Developed Applications (FDAs) to integrate other data sources into the Unicenter NeuMICS database. The Unicenter NeuMICS SAS Interface (MSI) aids in the process of creating a new FDA involving data from SAS datasets. MTI, the interface to Unicenter Performance Management allows Unicenter NeuMICS to integrate the performance, accounting and chargeback data from systems managed by Unicenter Performance Management. It facilitates the transfer of collected Unicenter Performance Management data to a z/os or OS/390 platform for inclusion in the regular Unicenter NeuMICS production cycle. 3 October

4 Table 2: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Reference Facilities These facilities consist of in-depth documentation with online and printed access. The Online Reference Library encompasses methodologies and product guides customized to the user s Unicenter NeuMICS configuration. The Unicenter NeuMICS Workstation Facility (MWF) is an Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF)-based application that allows online access to all documentation. The documentation can now also be viewed from standard Web browsers. A Data Encyclopedia fully describes each element maintained in the database and is fully integrated with the query composition tools under the Unicenter MWF and the PC-based Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Q&R Workstation Option. Table 3: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Data Integration Analyzers Overview Customer Information Control System (CICS) Direct Access Storage Device (DASD) DB2 Advantage CA-IDMS The Data Integration Analyzers (DIA) enable Unicenter NeuMICS to maintain and review information on a wide variety of data for systems management, including resource accounting and chargeback, capacity planning and performance analysis. The Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management base product delivers three DIAs: Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Batch and Operations Analyzer, Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Hardware and SCP Analyzer, and Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer for CA-TSO/MON (Monitor). All other DIAs are optional components. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer Option for CICS maintains system, user and application data collected by IBM s CICS Monitor Facility, Allen Systems Group s The Monitor (TMON) product and Candle s OMEGAMON for CICS/MVS. The Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for CICS provides reporting on CICS availability, service levels, transaction throughput, and resource usage and forecasting; it also provides transaction life cycle and profile analysis. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Space Analyzer Option provides an indepth look at current and historical DASD space usage. Included with Unicenter NeuMICS Space Analyzer is one copy of the Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Space Collector Option. Unicenter NeuMICS Space Collector gathers data from Volume Tables of Contents (VTOCs), catalogs and Hierarchical Storage Manager (HSM) control datasets. Data relating to one or many systems can be collected. The Unicenter NeuMICS Space Analyzer consolidates the data and makes it available for storage administration, accounting and capacity planning. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer Option for DB2 organizes and stores information on DB2 use and performance. Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for DB2 processes information stored in the System Management Facility (SMF) for reporting and planning analysis. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer Option for CA-IDMS organizes and stores information on the use and performance of Advantage CA- IDMS/DB running with the Advantage CA-IDMS/DB Performance Monitor. 3 October

5 Table 3: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Data Integration Analyzers WebSphere MQ (MQSeries) Information Management System (IMS) IBM Resource Measurement Facility (RMF) Network System Reliability Unicenter CA- TSO/MON Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer Option for MQSeries records and analyzes MQSeries (now named WebSphere MQ, but still known as MQSeries) on z/os and OS/390 platforms. It processes SMF record types 115 and116 to obtain data from the MQSeries message, data, buffer and log managers. It stores activity and utilization data into the Unicenter NeuMICS database to provide a basis for resource management. In addition, Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for MQSeries interfaces with Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Capacity Planner Option and Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Accounting and Chargeback Option applications. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer Option for IMS provides IMS reporting for jobs, such as system availability and transaction throughput. Utilization data recorded to the log dataset and BMC s Mainview for IMS. The Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management IMS Log Extractor Option (an initial copy is included with Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for IMS) acts as an interface to IMS for extracting data during the IMS log-archiving process. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Hardware and System Control Program (SCP) Analyzer processes data collected by IBM s RMF. Information on hardware activity (such as, processor busy and input/output [I/O] activity) and SCP activity (paging, performance group activity, service class activity and logical channel activity) allows for environmental analysis. Fiber Connection (FICON) channel feature support is now available. This component is provided with the base license. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Network Analyzer Option provides information about the performance, service, reliability and workload growth of an organization s network. Supports data from IBM s Tivoli NetView, Tivoli NetView Performance Monitor (NPM) and NPM/Virtual Machine, TCP/IP, Unicenter NetMaster Network Management for Systems Network Architecture (SNA), Unicenter NetMaster Network Management for TCP/IP, and Unicenter NetSpy Network Performance. Additionally, it processes data from the Network Tracking System (NTS) and Network Error Warning System (NEWS) components of Unicenter NetMaster Network Management for SNA. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management System Reliability Analyzer Option processes data from IBM s system-error-recording datasets to identify hardware, media and software malfunctions. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer for CA-TSO/MON processes data from Unicenter CA-TSO/MON Performance Management. This information is the basis for Time-Sharing Option (TSO) capacity, user productivity, TSO application usage, Interactive System Productivity Facility /Program Development Facility (ISPF/PDF), Dialogue Manager and TSO network analysis. This component is included in the base license. 3 October

6 Table 3: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Data Integration Analyzers Virtual Machine/Conversatio nal Monitor System (VM/CMS) Virtual Storage Extended (VSE)/POWER Virtual Address Extension/Virtual Memory Storage (VAX /VMS) Tandem Support BrightStor CA- ASTEX Support HP MeasureWare Batch and Operations Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer Option for VM/CMS processes monitor and accounting data from z/vm, VM, VM/High-Performance Option (HPO), VM/Enterprise Systems Architecture (ESA) and VM/Extended Architecture (XA) System Product (SP) systems to permit analysis of the total VM environment. Information includes hardware usage, CMS user activity and VM SCP problem tracking. The Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Data Transfer Option for VM (an initial copy is included with this analyzer) runs in the VM environment to collect, organize and transfer data to z/os or OS/390 for processing. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer Option for VSE/POWER processes VSE/POWER accounting records to enable analysis of VSE job, program, output and device activity. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer Option for VAX/VMS integrates system and storage information collected from HP s VAX/VMS into the Unicenter NeuMICS database to enable enterprisewide systems management functions across hardware platforms. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Application Extension Option for Tandem integrates information from the MEASURE facility available on Tandem computers into the Unicenter NeuMICS database. Support for the Tandem release G06 Series has been recently enhanced. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management CA-ASTEX Option feeds DASD and storage cache resource information from BrightStor CA-ASTEX Performance into the Unicenter NeuMICS database for reporting through either Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management StorageMate Option or user-written reports in MICF. BrightStor CA-ASTEX Performance provides information to Unicenter NeuMICS to detect and monitor performance trends in DASD and storage cache resources. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Analyzer Option for MeasureWare processes Unix data from HP s OpenView (formerly MeasureWare) configuration, global activity, process, application and disk device metrics. It integrates Unix data with the other detail and historical systems management information in the Unicenter NeuMICS database. Data from HP-UX, SunOS, Solaris and AIX platforms is supported. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Batch and Operations Analyzer collects information on z/os and OS/390 batch jobs, TSO sessions, started tasks, Advanced Program-to-Program Communications (APPC)/MVS, Unix System Services, printer subsystems, and operational and system configuration activity. It integrates this data with other data maintained by Unicenter NeuMICS. Displays information on selected jobs, job groupings and other categories of activity; produces a series of management and operational reports; and gives Unicenter NeuMICS managers the capacity to tailor reports for all levels of management. This component is provided with the base license. 3 October

7 Table 3: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Data Integration Analyzers WebSphere Application Server for z/os and OS/390 CA s Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Web Analyzer Option integrates the performance and utilization metrics logged by IBM s WebSphere Application Server (WAS) for z/os and OS/390 running under Unix Systems Service. WAS logs both SMF type 103 and 120 records, and can also log optional additional performance data to Unix System Services (USS) logs. Unicenter NeuMICS integrates such information as requests sent and received, bytes sent and received, pages hit, where the request came from, average response time and more. Data is maintained for both capacity planning and accounting and chargeback. Table 4: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Management Support Applications Overview Resource Management Accounting and Chargeback Management Support Applications enable Unicenter NeuMICS to plan and manage the availability of storage resources along with network performance. All are available as options to the base Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management product. The optional Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Accounting and Chargeback Option allows management to account and charge for the use of data processing, network, application development and related facilities. It can use Unicenter NeuMICS-based or user-supplied data or both to calculate and assign charges based on standard rates. Costs can be computed using a resource, transaction or business element as the accepted base charge figure. Rates can be based on a variety of recovery or pricing strategies that the installation chooses to establish. Thirty-six standard reports are included and provide management information for IS, users of IS and corporate management. The installation also can generate ad hoc reports or graphics. It can use data from the following Unicenter NeuMICS Options: Unicenter NeuMICS Space Analyzer Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for CICS Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for DB2 Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for CA-IDMS Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for IMS Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for MQSeries Unicenter NeuMICS Web Analyzer Unicenter NeuMICS Batch and Operations Analyzer Unicenter NeuMICS Network Analyzer Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for CA-TSO/MON Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for VM/CMS Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for VSE/POWER Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for MeasureWare Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for VAX/VMS Data sources processed through Field-Developed Applications User data sources through an External File Interface 3 October

8 Table 4: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Management Support Applications Capacity Planning Storage Management It has built-in accounting support for z/os and OS/390 batch, TSO, z/os and OS/390 Unix System Services, APPC, z/os and OS/390 Started Tasks, IMS, CICS, DB2, Unix, Advantage CA-IDMS, z/os and OS/390 Data Storage (Primary and HSM managed), z/vm and VM/CMS, VSE, and SNA and TCP/IP networks. An external file interface is available to support easy integration of information from other sources, such as time-recording systems. Information can be downloaded to the Enterprise IS Financial Reporting system on a supported workstation for management and end-user report preparation. The Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Capacity Planner Option provides analytic techniques, tutorials and reports for workload characterization and forecasting. Techniques such as profile and trending, simple regression, univariate modeling, multivariate regression, cluster analysis and business element forecasting can be applied. Standard applications span the CPU and DASD resources for z/os and OS/390 systems, SNA and TCP/IP networks, the CICS subsystem, VAX/VMS systems, WebSphere and Unix System Services. In addition, standard applications are available for tracking cross-system coupling facility (XCF), GOAL MODE and Coupling Facility usage. A recent PSP (PSP0304) added integration of CA s Neugents technology. New applications have been added using this technology to optionally substitute for stillprovided applications using SAS/STAT functions. These applications improve the user experience, removing the need for knowledge of statistical methods and requiring less technical specifications from the user to generate desired reports and gaining as accurate or more accurate results in the process when compared with those reports using SAS/STAT. Neugents technology was also employed to augment functionality with a data exploration tool known as workload component analysis. This tool assists in discovery of relationships among metrics and workloads. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management StorageMate Option provides accurate information about performance, capacity and service of storage resources. It offers a consolidated view of an organization s entire storage subsystem. The view extends to all the storage technologies being employed and to automatedstorage management tools, such as System Managed Storage (SMS). For DASD resources, Unicenter NeuMICS StorageMate assists in volume pooling, expedites SMS migration and provides tools to effectively conduct ongoing storage management activities. For tape storage resources, it simulates the actions of automated-storage management products that assist in dataset migration, space release and security functions. The product s recent enhancements include direct data feeds from SMF on storage allocation activities. 3 October

9 Table 4: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS Management Support Applications Mainframe Performance Management PC Workstation Support The Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Performance Manager Option addresses batch workload analysis, z/os and OS/390 system tuning, and I/O analysis. Using these product features, performance of batch environments can be optimized. Changes to tape drive configuration or batch initiator structure can be simulated. A set of standard performance reports is generated to help tune the z/os and OS/390 system. Unicenter NeuMICS Resource Management Q&R Workstation Option provides access to Unicenter NeuMICS data via the PC workstation. It offers query, reporting, graphing and analysis tools for accessing Unicenter NeuMICS resource management, performance, capacity, chargeback and accounting data. Reports can be accessed on the Internet or company intranet via Q&R Web Connect. Integration with Unicenter NSM allows the product to be launched from within Unicenter NSM. Q&R Charting has been added with release 2.5, providing enhanced graphics and eliminating the dependence on MS-Excel for charting query results. Its graphics engine is used by both Q&R Charting and Q&R Web Connect, so charts produced by either are now identical. Advanced graphics include publication-quality graphics, as well as the ability to chart data against two different scales using dual Y-axes. Table 5: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS User Interface MICF General Interfaces Unicenter NeuMICS Component Generator Provides the means to generate, manage and execute inquiries by way of a 4GLdesigned, panel-driven application. An ISPF Dialogue Manager application that features a convenient, easy and flexible way to access and manipulate data especially for those individuals who are not comfortable with SAS. Menu-driven, it provides interactive database access, tailored report and inquiry generation and display capabilities. Enables the user to define Unicenter NeuMICS input, selection criteria and report options. Based on installation specifications, MICF builds a SAS program for execution in either the interactive or batch mode. Resultant reports can be displayed at the terminal or printed out. Over 500 standard MICF inquiries are distributed with Unicenter NeuMICS, in addition to the standard reports for each licensed product. It also produces production reports in HTML format for viewing with a Web browser. Alternatively, Unicenter NeuMICS Q&R Workstation offers query and reporting facilities for the desktop workstation. Provides a shell to define any additional data source input by conforming the user data source to the Unicenter NeuMICS architecture. 3 October

10 Table 5: Features and Functions: Computer Associates Unicenter NeuMICS User Interface Language Support SAS Base Recovery Facilities Backup/Restore Journaling Internal Step Restart Output Features Online Display Enterprise IS Financial Reporting Unicenter NeuMICS is based on, and supports, the SAS language, although some sections of the Unicenter NeuMICS program are written in Assembler and C. A SAS code generator can be used online to produce user-tailored reports. Backup and restore are integrated functions of the Unicenter NeuMICS product. Done on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. A set of journal and ledger files allows full accounting and audit capability. Permits internal JOB step checkpoints to be established during processing so that if the system is restarted (that is, after a power outage or system crash), Unicenter NeuMICS can begin at the last saved internal checkpoint rather than from the beginning of a JOB step. Unicenter NeuMICS can produce online tabular and graphic displays. SAS/GRAPH is required for color business graphics for MICF queries. Users can select from standard MICF inquiries or develop their own inquiries with SAS or MICF. MICF Production Reporting can create output as HTML pages for viewing via a Web browser. Unicenter NeuMICS Q&R Workstation enables output toapc. This Unicenter NeuMICS Accounting and Chargeback facility models the impact of potential changes in client billing. It can also be used as a report vehicle for existing IS management, enterprise financial management data. It uses Microsoft Excel to provide workstation displays. Unicenter NeuMICS receives historical measurement and performance data from a large number of diverse sources, including a large repertoire of CA systems and network management products. Unicenter NeuMICS serves two critical roles: it is the integrated historical data repository, and it serves as the delivery mechanism for enterprisewide management applications in the areas of capacity, financial, network and storage management. Other components can be tied in with Unicenter NeuMICS to expand the coverage of collection and analysis to other-than-mainframe configurations. In addition, Unicenter NeuMICS data can be used in conjunction with CA s Unicenter Performance Management for enterprisewide management. Computer Associates continues to enhance Unicenter NeuMICS, focusing attention to technical currency, support for updated or new utilization data, operational enhancements, administrative improvements and new functionality, all delivered in semiannual PSP. The addition of Web publishing of MICF production reports should prove to be a popular enhancement. With the growth in the mainframe hosting of Web applications, CA has added analysis support for WebSphere Application Server for z/os and OS/390 with the recently introduced Unicenter NeuMICS Web Analyzer. The Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for MQSeries has been enhanced with support for task- and queue-level accounting data from MQSeries October

11 Unicenter NeuMICS provides a data repository facility for the collection, storage, reconciliation and reporting of metrics that represent the resource utilization activity associated with the daily operations of IS enterprises. It can be used to provide assistance in: Managing day-to-day operations Establishing, evaluating and tracking service-level objectives Communicating plans and performance within the organization Controlling costs Providing accounting information Estimating future costs Deploying technology to support business goals Unicenter NeuMICS Analyzer for MeasureWare, for example, takes Unix data from HP-UX, AIX and Solaris platforms and integrates Unix metrics with the enterprisewide Unicenter NeuMICS repository. Unicenter NeuMICS is built on the SAS Institute s SAS System of data management facilities and the SAS reporting and graphics facilities. The latest version of SAS (version 8.2) is supported, and support for version 6.09 ended in March 2003 (after SAS dropped its support for this release at the end of 2002). Testing of an early version of version 9 is currently under way, and support will be available when SAS releases that version to all of its customers. Unicenter NeuMICS is designed and implemented using a formal architecture that allows it to integrate data from diverse data sources into a unified database. This architecture enables Unicenter NeuMICS to support diverse applications, geographically distributed systems and heterogeneous environments. One of the more interesting product extensions is Enterprise IS Financial Reporting, a reporting facility available with Unicenter NeuMICS Accounting and Chargeback. It is a Microsoft Excel Windows application that cuts across diverse perspectives and organizes a company s IS financial information in a simplified manner. The information for Enterprise is downloaded from the Unicenter NeuMICS Accounting and Chargeback on the mainframe to individual workstations. Unicenter NeuMICS is loaded with functionality. It is rare that any one installation will ever use all the features and functions provided by the system. In the past, a user had to acquire the entire package, which made it costly and complex. This product was designed to be modular, allowing customers to tailor the configuration to meet their immediate needs and extend the system when the need requires additional functionality. This minimizes the cost of the product as well as the resources required to run the package. Modularity also makes it more straightforward for the implementers to install and understand. The interface to Unicenter Performance Management, MTI, provides the capability to incorporate performance and accounting data from platforms managed by Unicenter Performance Management, enabling the product to provide performance management and chargeback accounting on an enterprise scale. Interfaces have also been provided to ican Provider Suite from ican SP a subsidiary company focused on service management. Pricing Table 6: Price List: Computer Associates Intl. Unicenter NeuMICS Family Product Starting Price NeuMICS $30,596 (Base set, which includes the batch, hardware and Unicenter CA- TSO/MON Performance Management analyzers). Data Integration Analyzers and Management Applications priced separately. 3 October

12 Table 6: Price List: Computer Associates Intl. Unicenter NeuMICS Family Product NeuMICS Max. Price Depends on configuration desired. Pricing as of September GSA Pricing Yes. Competitors PACE Applied Technology KOMAND III BMC Software MainView product line Strengths Common Database Format and Extensive Database Tools The modular aspect of Unicenter NeuMICS allows for a sophisticated set of tools for updating and maintaining the database. Included are facilities for database updating, scheduling and control, data integrity verification, database backup, and restoring and archiving of data. Data is organized in a common format in the Unicenter NeuMICS database. This common format, combined with the Unicenter NeuMICS platform, enables users in multivendor environments to have easy access to stored information. Open-Ended Architecture Unicenter NeuMICS has an open-ended architecture. The Unicenter NeuMICS platform enables the system to integrate information from multiple operating environments and network architectures. Unicenter NeuMICS has an extensive library of data integration and management support applications that enable the user to evaluate and manage information technology effectively. Data The flexibility of Unicenter NeuMICS allows users to retrieve information on daily performance so as to monitor the overall activity of the system. The ad hoc report writer can be readily used to prepare detaillevel and management-level summary reports. Semiannual Product Service Pack Releases PSPs are automatically distributed twice a year to ensure technical currency for operations and data integration. The PSPs can also contain enhancements in addition to consolidated corrections made since the prior PSP distribution. Limitations Excessive Installation Time The Unicenter NeuMICS installation process offers a great many options designed for a diverse set of installation sites. The complexity of the installation process is determined by the presence of special standards or processing requirements in a given shop as well as the actual installation procedure. Installing Unicenter NeuMICS requires an understanding of these procedures and the ability to translate the customer s needs into Unicenter NeuMICS parameters. In the vendor s defense, Computer Associates is addressing this issue with modifications intended to simplify installation and administration. CA, for example, has added many of Unicenter NeuMICS parameters to the global level. This reduces 3 October

13 some of the complexity as it offers more choice in specifying parameters at the individual processing unit level or at the global (MICS complex) level. Customers may still choose to use some of the default parameters enabled when the product is shipped. Also, the Consolidated Checklist feature can enable users to delete redundant or duplicate installation steps. Enhancements in this feature and the addition of consolidated database unit generation steps (UNITGEN) can reduce the number of jobs needed to be run to implement single or multiple product changes, speeding up the installation process. CA Professional Services can also be utilized to install or aid in the installation of the product to speed up the process. SMF Records One caution for potential Unicenter NeuMICS users, aside from the aforementioned installation complexity, is that while it supports most SMF records generated by the operating system, it does not cover all. However, integration of any unsupported data either in SMF logs or from other sources is possible because of its open interface. Insight Computer Associates long history in the market attests to the vendor s strength in designing products that are both reliable and functional. Unicenter NeuMICS is a flexible product that had originally been cumbersome to install and operate but that has been made significantly easier to use in later releases. It can integrate with several different operating environments, making it easy to gather and exchange information in a multiplatform environment. It also offers a strong set of database features that add to its flexibility. The vendor is committed to continually expanding the product line s features and support to retain its competitive edge; however, the installation time and SMF support issues should be taken into consideration. 3 October