zPulse · Space · DCOLLECT studies
zPulse Space turns your DCOLLECT extracts into a view of allocated and free space, fragmentation and a defrag score, by LPAR, storage group and volume. In the application these are the DCOLLECT studies.
Capacity planning on z/OS needs more than a free-space percentage. zPulse Space shows allocated and free space, the largest extent and the fragmentation index for every LPAR, storage group and volume. The same data feeds a daily DCOLLECT mail from a scheduled study.
zPulse Space is the module for DASD capacity, built on DCOLLECT studies. It reads your DCOLLECT extracts and turns them into space, storage group and volume views.
What it analyses
Allocated and free space, percentage free, largest extent and average fragmentation index, globally and per LPAR, storage group and volume.
One line per volume and per date: percentage free, largest extent, average fragmentation index and storage group.
In the Dcollect Analyzer tool, the 50 volumes with the highest variability. In the daily mail, an optional table of the 20 volumes with the worst average fragmentation index.
Free extents, free tracks, the estimated largest VSAM extent in percent and a fragmentation severity score. The values are estimated by a heuristic, not measured.
The TS Import Big Dcollect tool loads a dataset-level listing and lets you browse it by volume serial.
In the application
These are the report tabs of a study in the zPulse application.
The DCOLLECT report tabs of a study in the zPulse application.
Data
zPulse works from the reports and files you already produce. Nothing is installed on z/OS.
| Record or file | Report | What zPulse uses it for |
|---|---|---|
| DCOLLECT extract | Text file, columns separated by ; | Allocated and free space, percentage free, largest extent, fragmentation index, by LPAR, storage group and volume. The defrag report also needs the FREXT and FTRKS columns. This is an extract, not the raw DCOLLECT file. |
DCOLLECT extract
Tools
Tools open a report or a folder and show charts and tables on one subject. Each card of the catalogue says which file the tool reads.
Automatic studies
A scheduled study can send a DCOLLECT mail: stacked bars of allocated and free space by LPAR, a scatter plot of allocated space against average fragmentation index per volume, and an optional table of the 20 volumes with the worst average fragmentation index.
DCOLLECT space analysis was part of the EADM family of tools. In zPulse it is a set of DCOLLECT studies, with LPAR, storage group and volume views and a daily mail.
Allocated and free space by LPAR (TB)
| Volume | % free | Frag. index |
|---|---|---|
| DB2L03 | 4 | 612 |
| DB2L07 | 6 | 540 |
| PRD104 | 9 | 388 |
Period: 7 Oct 2026 · Charts are in the body of the mail, with no attachment.
FAQ
A DCOLLECT extract in text form, with columns separated by semicolons: LPAR, date, volume serial, device number, percentage free, free space, allocated space, volume capacity, largest extent and fragmentation index, plus FREXT and FTRKS for the defrag report.
No. zPulse reads a text extract of DCOLLECT data, not the raw file. Ask us for the extraction procedure.
Disk is about performance: response time, cache, channels. Space is about capacity: allocated and free space, fragmentation and volumes.
They are estimates. The largest VSAM extent is estimated from the average free extent, not measured.
No. zPulse reads text extracts of your DCOLLECT data. It runs on its own server.
zPulse
Formerly EADM
Response time by component, hot volumes, cache, FICON channels, I/O topology.
Formerly EATM
Tape catalogue capacity, virtual tape mounts and response time, TS7700 VEHSTATS statistics.
Formerly EAMC
MSU used, R4HA, LPAR activity, WLM workloads and service classes.
Send us an extract. A Technical Storage expert runs it through zPulse and walks you through the results.