z/OS IP Network Security: Capacity Planning for zIIP Assisted IPSec

Overview

IBM previewed that beginning with z/OS V1R8, the IBM System z9 Integrated Information Processor (zIIP) can be used to handle much of the CPU-intensive processing involved in the IPSec AH (Authentication Header) and ESP (Encapsulating Security Payload) protocols. This further positions IBM System z as a cost-effective server in environments requiring end-to-end security for IP network traffic. The objective of this paper is to assist z/OS customers with capacity planning related to IPSec workloads executing on zIIP.