Workload-Centric Solution Saves Supermarket Chain Money

This case study outlines the challenges faced by a grocery wholesaler and supermarket chain in the American Midwest regarding Db2 processing, which consumed over half of the mainframe's CPU capacity amid growing transaction volumes. To avoid a costly mainframe upgrade, the company sought to optimize its Db2 workload. Initial efforts involved engaging an external group for temporary tuning assistance, but the existing Db2 tools were inadequate. After evaluating various Db2 tuning tools, the company selected Syncsort™ Optimize DB2, which employs a unique workload-centric approach to identify savings opportunities. The implementation of Syncsort™ Optimize DB2 was completed in less than three hours, yielding immediate results. The tool enabled the consolidation and ranking of functionally identical SQLs, facilitated what-if cost projections, and ensured simultaneous modifications across the application portfolio. Within a month, the company achieved over 35% in Db2 CPU savings, later increasing to 50%, all without negatively impacting performance. Additional benefits included rapid ROI and reduced performance impact from environmental changes.