Converting CPU hours to MIPS: Mainframe capacity planning process

How do you convert CPU hours into MIPS for mainframe capacity planning?

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Although they aren't exact numbers, mainframe capacity planners find CPU hours, MIPS and MSU good indicators for plotting future growth. In addition, reducing MIPS is a huge priority for mainframe managers, because of the weak economy and rising software costs.

Here are some handy shortcuts that can help with learning about CPU, MIPS, mainframe capacity planning and converting CPU hours:

  • The number of million instructions per second (MIPS) is generally considered a measure of computing performance; for large servers or mainframes, MIPS is also a way to measure the cost of computing.
  • One million service units (MSU) = six MIPS (here MSU and MIPS represent a consumption speed, not an accumulated consumption). So a job that constantly uses 10 MSU (as displayed by monitors), uses 60 MIPS.
  • To convert CPU seconds (accumulated consumption) to MIPS (average consumption speed):
    MIPS = (CPU seconds)*EUM/(Elapsed seconds) where EUM=EQUIVALENT UNIPROCESSOR MIPS as defined in the REXX exec.

Example: A job has used 100 CPU seconds during one minute (it is a multi-task job). The system is a 2064-1C5 (1085 MIPS, EUM=217 MIPS). The average consumption speed of this job is 100*217/60=362 MIPS.

More resources on CPU and MIPS:

Note: This tip is a compilation of advice from various experts on our site.

This was first published in February 2012

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