Going Green by Increasing Printing Efficiency

Going green is good for the environment, good for the NIH Data Center, and good for NIH users. It leads to better health, lower energy costs, and a more sustainable use of our planet.

NIH greening goals

NIH has established a goal of greening the many activities and business practices occurring daily on its campuses. It is committed to using natural resources responsibly, and that includes the use of energy. The NIH Environmental Management System (http://www.nems.nih.gov) sponsors several programs that encourage each organization to use the best available technologies, operations, and practices to increase energy conservation.

The NIH Data Center uses energy primarily in the form of natural gas and electricity to operate, heat, and cool our facilities. As a part of the NIH greening program, the Data Center is working to save power by upgrading to newer Computer Room Air Conditioners and energy-efficient servers, consolidating servers, and using power management tools, as well as high-efficiency power supplies. The Data Center is also exploring avenues for conserving natural resources, including paper, toner, and fuel.

How you can help

You can be part of creating a greener NIH Data Center by helping us conserve power and resources. Simply using more efficient methods for viewing your Titan output can be one way to do this.

There are several ways to see a Titan output. We will look at three:

•	sending it to a continuous form printer
•	sending it to a cut-sheet printer
•	viewing it online using Interactive Output Facility (IOF)

Of these three, continuous form printers use the most power per page. The cost for maintaining these printers, costs for the special paper and toner that they use, and energy use costs have been steadily increasing and will require a rate increase in the near future.

Therefore, we want to encourage you to consider the less expensive and greener alternatives:

1.	Keep output online and view it using IOF; or
2.	Send the output to the more energy efficient cut-sheet printers.

By switching to either of these options, you will enable the NIH Data Center to trim the power, paper, toner, and maintenance costs that impact both the environment and the bottom line. Being energy-efficient in handling output will not only decrease power and cooling demands, it will also help us avoid expensive infrastructure upgrades.

Using IOF to save output on disk

To save on your printing costs and reduce the physical space needed for storing and filing printouts, consider using the ISPF Input Output Facility (IOF) to save your job output as disk data sets instead of printing it. You can always print the job from the data set at a later date or edit the data set and then print the output. To avoid printing, you must hold the output using either MSGCLASS=H with SYSOUT=* or /* ROUTE OUTPUT HOLD.

Not sure how to save your output? Here’s how:

1. On the IOF Job List Menu, select the job whose output you want to save to disk. The example below lists all jobs in the output queue belonging to userid JOEUSER.

------------------------------ IOF Job List Menu -------------( 4 )------------
COMMAND ===>                                                 SCROLL ===> DATA  
--------------------------------- Output Jobs ---------------------------------
-------JOBNAME--JOBID---ACT-STAT-OWNER----DEST/DEVICE-------RECS-HELD-DAY--TIME
_    1 JOB1     J002621        8 JOEUSER  NIHJES2                1664 037  5:01
_    2 JOB2     J002112          JOEUSER  NIHJES2                5342 037   :13
_    3 JOB3     J001918          JOEUSER  NIHJES2                1787 036  5:01
_    4 JOB4     J001440          JOEUSER  NIHJES2                5342 036   :17



2. Let's say that Joe decides that he wants to save JOB2 to a disk data set. To specify JOB2, Joe can enter ‘2’ in the command area or he can tab down and enter an ‘S’ on the line command next to JOB2 and press “Enter.”

------------------------------ IOF Job List Menu -------------( 4 )------------
COMMAND ===>  2                                               SCROLL ===> DATA  
--------------------------------- Output Jobs ---------------------------------
-------JOBNAME--JOBID---ACT-STAT-OWNER----DEST/DEVICE-------RECS-HELD-DAY--TIME
_    1 JOB1     J002621        8 JOEUSER  NIHJES2                1664 037  5:01
S    2 JOB2     J002112          JOEUSER  NIHJES2                5342 037   :13
_    3 JOB3     J001918          JOEUSER  NIHJES2                1787 036  5:01
_    4 JOB4     J001440          JOEUSER  NIHJES2                5342 036   :17



3. The Job Summary Screen for JOB2 is displayed.

------------------------------- IOF Job Summary -------------------------------
COMMAND ===>                                                 SCROLL ===> DATA  
--JOBNAME--JOBID----STATUS---RAN/RECEIVED------DAY-------DEST------------------
  JOB2     J002112  OUTPUT    0:13   2/06/2009 TODAY     NIHJES2               
--RC--PGM--------STEP-----PRSTEP---PROC-----COMMENTS---------------------------
   0  IEFBR14    STEP1                                                         
--------DDNAME---STEP-----PRSTEP---STAT-ACT-C-GRP-D-SIZE-U-DEST----------------
_    1  LOG      *                 HELD     H   1 H   66 L NIHJES2             
_    2  JCL      *                 HELD     H   1 H 1226 L NIHJES2             
_    3  MESSAGES *                 HELD     H   1 H  784 L NIHJES2             



4. In the command area of the IOF Job Summary screen, Joe enters ‘SD’ (for Snap Definition) to define the attributes of the data set.

------------------------------- IOF Job Summary -------------------------------
COMMAND ===>  SD                                             SCROLL ===> DATA  
--JOBNAME--JOBID----STATUS---RAN/RECEIVED------DAY-------DEST------------------
  JOB2     J002112  OUTPUT    0:13   2/06/2009 TODAY     NIHJES2               
--RC--PGM--------STEP-----PRSTEP---PROC-----COMMENTS---------------------------
   0  IEFBR14    STEP1                                                         
--------DDNAME---STEP-----PRSTEP---STAT-ACT-C-GRP-D-SIZE-U-DEST----------------
_    1  LOG      *                 HELD     H   1 H   66 L NIHJES2             
_    2  JCL      *                 HELD     H   1 H 1226 L NIHJES2             
_    3  MESSAGES *                 HELD     H   1 H  784 L NIHJES2             



5. The Snap Data Set Options screen appears. The default name of the data set is displayed, using the naming convention userid.jobname.IOFLIST; for example, JOEUSER.JOB1.IOFLIST. Joe can override the name as well as the UNIT or MGMTCLAS parameters that specify where and how long the data set will be saved.
   
   UNIT and MGMTCLAS are mutually exclusive, so Joe can select only one of these parameters. He can give the parameter he selects one of the following values:

   a.	TEMP — Output will reside on temporary volume and will be scratched after 7 days online. There are no backups available in this management class.
   b.	NOBACKUP — Output resides on public volume and is not scratched automatically. No Backups are available.
   c.	DISK2YR — Output will reside on public volume and will be automatically scratched 2 years after last use. Up to 5 incremental backups are available.
   d.	DISK7YR — Output will reside on public volume and will be automatically scratched 7 years after last use. Up to 5 incremental backups are available.
   e.	LONGTERM — Output resides on public volume and is never automatically scratched. Up to 5 incremental backups are available.

   
   In this example, Joe decides to save his output on disk for 7 years using the data set name JOEUSER.COSTREPT.MAY12008:

-------------------------- IOF Snap Data Set Options --------------------------
COMMAND ===>                                                                   
                                                    Job: JOB1(J002112)         
  DSNAME        ===> COSTREPT.MAY12008                                         
                                                                               
  RECFM         ===> FBA           Record format                               
  LRECL         ===> 133           Logical record length                       
  BLKSIZE       ===>               Block size                                  
  PRIMARY       ===> 30            Primary allocation   (in tracks)            
  SECONDARY     ===> 30            Secondary allocation (in tracks)            
                                                                               
  UNIT          ===>               Unit name                                   
  VOLUME SER.   ===>               Volume serial                               
  STORCLAS      ===>               SMS storage class                           
  MGMTCLAS      ===> DISK7YR       SMS management class                        
  DATACLAS      ===>               SMS data class                              
                                                                               
  MOD (Y or N)  ===>               Append data to end of existing data set     
  PACK(Y or N)  ===>               Pack data using ISPF method                 
                                                                               
  LABEL         ===>               Tape data set label type                    
  DATASET NO.   ===>               Tape data set sequence number               



6. After specifying the output data set parameters, Joe presses ENTER to return to the IOF Job Summary Screen. From this screen Joe can enter SNAP in the command area to write the entire job output to the data set or he can enter ‘N’ next to each DDNAME he wishes to save.

------------------------------- IOF Job Summary -------------------------------
COMMAND ===>  SNAP                                           SCROLL ===> DATA  
--JOBNAME--JOBID----STATUS---RAN/RECEIVED------DAY-------DEST------------------
  JOB2     J002112  OUTPUT    0:13   2/06/2009 TODAY     NIHJES2               
--RC--PGM--------STEP-----PRSTEP---PROC-----COMMENTS---------------------------
   0  IEFBR14    STEP1                                                         
--------DDNAME---STEP-----PRSTEP---STAT-ACT-C-GRP-D-SIZE-U-DEST----------------
N    1  LOG      *                 HELD     H   1 H   66 L NIHJES2             
N    2  JCL      *                 HELD     H   1 H 1226 L NIHJES2             
_    3  MESSAGES *                 HELD     H   1 H  784 L NIHJES2             



7. Once Joe has snapped the output, he keeps pressing PF 3 until he returns to the IOF Primary Option Menu. It is necessary to return to the Primary Option Menu for the data set to be saved.

Using the cut-sheet printers for output

If you need to print your job, consider routing output to the 2105ES cut-sheet printer instead of the 3900 continuous form printer.

Most job output currently produced on the 3900 continuous form printers are jobs with fewer than 500 pages of output printed in landscape mode. These jobs are ideal candidates for the 2105ES cut-sheet printers.

For jobs that print more than 500 pages of output, we recommend that customers continue to print these jobs on the continuous form printer or save the output to disk.

The following examples show how to route job output to the 2105ES cut-sheet printers. For information about the JCL used, including the FORMS, FORMDEF, PAGEDEF, CHARS, and JESDS statements, see the Titan Batch Processing manual at http://publications.cit.nih.gov/category.asp?category=I007.

Printing in landscape mode on both sides of paper with no holes

//JOB1     JOB  (),MSGCLASS=H
//OUT1 OUTPUT   FORMS=900,FORMDEF=LD00,PAGEDEF=808,DEFAULT=YES,
//     JESDS=ALL,CHARS=GT12
//STEP1  EXEC   PGM=IEBGENER
//SYSUT1    DD  DSN=JOEUSER.SAMPLE.OUTPUT,DISP=SHR
//SYSUT2    DD  SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN     DD  DUMMY
//SYSPRINT  DD  SYSOUT=*

Printing in landscape mode on both sides of 3-hole punched paper

//JOB1     JOB  (),MSGCLASS=H
//OUT1 OUTPUT   FORMS=999,FORMDEF=LD99,PAGEDEF=808,DEFAULT=YES,
//    JESDS=ALL,CHARS=GT12,LINECT=59
//STEP1  EXEC   PGM=IEBGENER
//SYSUT1    DD  DSN=JOEUSER.SAMPLE.OUTPUT,DISP=SHR
//SYSUT2    DD  SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN     DD  DUMMY
//SYSPRINT  DD  SYSOUT=*

To avoid printing over the holes on the back of each page, use LINECT=59 to reduce the line count from the default 60 to 59.

Printing in landscape mode on one side of paper with no holes

//JOB1     JOB  (),MSGCLASS=H
//OUT1 OUTPUT   FORMS=900,FORMDEF=LS00,PAGEDEF=808,DEFAULT=YES,
//    JESDS=ALL,CHARS=GT12
//STEP1  EXEC   PGM=IEBGENER
//SYSUT1    DD  DSN=JOEUSER.SAMPLE.OUTPUT,DISP=SHR
//SYSUT2    DD  SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN     DD  DUMMY
//SYSPRINT  DD  SYSOUT=*

Printing in landscape mode on one side of 3-hole punched paper

//JOB1     JOB  (),MSGCLASS=H
//OUT1 OUTPUT   FORMS=999,FORMDEF=LS99,PAGEDEF=808,DEFAULT=YES,
//    JESDS=ALL,CHARS=GT12
//STEP1  EXEC   PGM=IEBGENER
//SYSUT1    DD  DSN=JOEUSER.SAMPLE.OUTPUT,DISP=SHR
//SYSUT2    DD  SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN     DD  DUMMY
//SYSPRINT  DD  SYSOUT=*

Conclusion

Energy usage is becoming the Data Center's largest single operating cost, at 30 to 40 percent of the operating budget. By reducing Titan’s dependence on the 3900 continuous form printer, we hope to work with our customers to become more energy efficient and to increase our IT capacity while maintaining the same energy footprint we have today.

If you need help or have any questions regarding Output Distribution, contact the NIH Help Desk at http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov/support or call 301-496-HELP (301-496-4357), 866-319-4357 (toll free), or 301-496-8294 (TTY).

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