IBM TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Technical Support Handbook

xSeries, BladeCenter,
IntelliStation and Storage

February 06

About this document

The purpose of this document is to provide guidelines and reference materials that United States clients may need when they
require IBM service and support for xSeries, BladeCenter, IntelliStation and/or Storage systems. Weve produced this
guide with the following objectives in mind:

To introduce you to IBM Technical Support

To provide information on the support services currently available from IBM
To help you to effectively utilize IBM Technical Support

Please review this guide carefully as it contains important information regarding the service and support of your IBM and nonIBM products. Thank you for choosing IBM solutions!

The IBM Commitment

We believe that having your business is both a privilege and a responsibility. We hope to maintain that business by providing
you with solutions to your information technology problems. We also recognize that in order to enable you to concentrate on
your core business issues, it is crucial that we provide world-class information technology services that complement our
information system solutions. The intent of IBM support is to provide you with the quality support and services you need. Our
vision is to achieve a level of support excellence that differentiates IBM in the marketplace by providing:

Rapid response to your requests

Prompt resolution to problems
Up-to-date service and installation information

We are committed to achieving a high level of client satisfaction, with quality-focused programs designed to provide services
that enhance the use of IBM products. As your solutions partner, we are dedicated to enabling your success.

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Table of Contents

IBM TECHNICAL SUPPORT OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................. 4

HARDWARE WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE .................................................................................................................................. 4
SOFTWARE SUPPORT (REMOTE TECHNICAL SUPPORT) ..................................................................................................................... 5
ONLINE RESOURCES .......................................................................................................................................................................... 8
CONTACTING IBM FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT ................................................................................................................... 9
BEFORE CONTACTING IBM............................................................................................................................................................... 9
Define the problem........................................................................................................................................................................ 9
Gather background information ................................................................................................................................................... 9
Determine the business impact ................................................................................................................................................... 10
Gather supporting data............................................................................................................................................................... 10
CONTACTING IBM FOR WARRANTY/MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE (HARDWARE SUPPORT) ............................................................ 10
Placing a call (1-800-IBM-SERV Option 1) ............................................................................................................................ 10
Electronic submission ................................................................................................................................................................. 12
IBM Electronic Service Agent................................................................................................................................................. 12
CONTACTING IBM FOR REMOTE TECHNICAL SUPPORT (SOFTWARE SUPPORT) .............................................................................. 12
Problem Management Record (PMR)......................................................................................................................................... 13
Placing a call (1-800-IBM-SERV Option 2) ............................................................................................................................ 13
Electronic Problem Submission over the Internet....................................................................................................................... 14
Working together to resolve problems ........................................................................................................................................ 15
APPENDIX A PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION WORKSHEET............................................................................................. 16
SYSTEM INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................................................... 16
PROBLEM DESCRIPTION/SYMPTOMS ............................................................................................................................................... 16
ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................................................................................................ 16
APPENDIX B SOFTWARE SUPPORT OFFERING COMPARISON TABLE .................................................................... 17

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IBM Technical Support Overview

Technical support can allow your employees to be more productive and more cost-effective, and your clients to buy your
products and services with ease. Excellent support can resolve technical and non-technical issues quickly, reducing
downtime and frustration and letting your employees and clients get down to business. This can increase your productivity,
client loyalty and revenues.
On the other hand, not having comprehensive technical support can seriously erode your client and employee satisfaction
and result in lost revenue and disadvantages in your marketplace.
Successful companies are committed to improving service and support. They realize that the right level of support is critical
to maintaining system availability for conducting business. They want their employees to get the optimum value from their
software and hardware. But many lack the in-house expertise, training resources, infrastructure and depth of functionality
necessary for providing world-class support.
IBMs Technical Support is offered in three categories:
- Hardware Warranty and Maintenance Covers defects in materials and workmanship of the machine
- Software Support (Remote Technical Support) includes usage, installation and configuration questions on your
hardware, operating system and software. Also includes software defect coverage.
- Online Resources Provides self-help resources, including downloads, tips, manuals, books, education, white
papers, etc.
Each suite of offerings is designed and packaged to provide you with the right level of service for your IT environment. At a
minimum, you should ensure that you have the base coverage on both hardware and software support, so that you can
have the peace of mind in knowing that IBM is there to back you up and help decrease downtime and increase
productivity.
Whether your systems are mission-critical, simple print servers, multivendor, or a combination of all of these, IBM has the
right technical support solution for you.

Hardware Warranty and Maintenance

The base warranty that comes with your hardware is a good start for your technical support coverage, but is seldom
enough for servers and storage. Whenever you acquire new hardware, you should ask yourself How long can this server
go down? and How long do I intend to keep it in production? The answer to these questions will help determine which
warranty upgrades and maintenance services you should choose to meet your needs.
There are two levels of hardware support available:
- Warranty Service Upgrade (WSU) can include extended service hours, upgraded service delivery method,
entitlement to full onsite part replacement of a customer replaceable unit (CRU) by IBM and enhanced response
time objectives.
- Post-warranty Maintenance (MA) starts after the end of your base warranty period or Warranty Service Upgrade.
It provides many of the same features of the Warranty Service Upgrade, but extends the coverage for additional
years.

Hardware Warranty and Maintenance Offerings

Warranty Service Upgrade (WSU)
If you have an IBM machine that is still within its original warranty period, you can upgrade the Base Warranty service
with a Warranty Service Upgrade (WSU). A variety of service levels, response times and options are available:

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Service Response Times

24x7x2 hour

A service technician is scheduled to arrive at your location within two hours after
remote problem determination is completed. We provide service around the clock,
every day, including IBM holidays.

24x7x4 hour

A service technician is scheduled to arrive at your location within four hours after
remote problem determination is completed. We provide service around the clock,
every day, including IBM holidays.

9x5x4 hour

A service technician is scheduled to arrive at your location within four business

hours after remote problem determination is completed. We provide service from
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in your local time zone, Monday through Friday, excluding
IBM holidays. If after 1:00 p.m. it is determined that onsite service is required, you
can expect the service technician to arrive the morning of the following business
day. For non-critical service requests, a service technician will arrive by the end of
the following business day.

9x5/NBD

A service technician is scheduled to arrive at your location on the business day

after we receive your call, following remote problem determination. We provide
service from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in your local time zone, Monday through
Friday, excluding IBM holidays.

Service Levels
IBM onsite repair
(IOR)

A service technician will come to your location for equipment repair.

IBM onsite
Exchange (IOE)

For IBM monitors and server peripherals:

A service technician will come to your location with a replacement machine and
perform the equipment exchange.

For more information on Warranty Service Upgrades and for a list of part numbers and pricing, please visit:
http://www.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/offering/its/a1001480

Post-warranty Maintenance
If you have an IBM machine that is out of warranty, or if you have an existing warranty service upgrade (WSU) or
maintenance agreement that is about to expire, then post-warranty maintenance is right for you.
For many IBM products, you can select the level of service response you received during your product warranty and
extend the duration of the service with a maintenance agreement. Or you can improve your maintenance by selecting
the right maintenance service level for your business. We offer a variety of options, with coverage for both parts and
labor. The service level options depend on your specific product.
For more information on Post-warranty Maintenance and for a list of part numbers and pricing, please visit:
http://www.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/offering/its/a1001505

Software Support (Remote Technical Support)

Warranty and maintenance services cover defective hardware or hardware problems, but they dont assist clients with
installation and configuration of a system, software and operating system problems, and ongoing operational issues. This
is where software support steps in to complete the Technical Support coverage. With software support, you will receive
assistance with:
-

Usage, installation and configuration questions

Diagnostic review to help isolate the cause of a problem
Software defect support
Product compatibility and interoperability questions

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- Interpretation of product documentation

The IBM portfolio of software support offerings provides coverage for a broad range of products running on xSeries and
other original equipment manufacturers (OEM) hardware, including Microsoft, Linux, IBM Director, VMware, Clustering
and Storage. The packaging and pricing has been built to fit the needs of very small to very large IT environments and the
service levels range from reactive phone support to proactive problem avoidance. Choosing the correct support model for
your environment is as important as choosing the hardware and software itself. Some factors to consider include cost of
downtime, skills retention, 24x7 coverage, and client satisfaction.
Note: The term Software Support is easily understood when its applied to DB2, WebSphere, Microsoft SQL Server,
or any other software product. However, it can be confusing when the term Software Support is applied to installation and
configuration of hardware systems and devices. For example, assistance with configuration of an RSA adapter in an
xSeries system is performed through a Software Support contract, but the software is actually firmware and drivers. For
this reason, IBM sometimes uses the term Remote Technical Support, instead of Software Support, to identify this type
of service. Whichever term is applied, the service is the same.
IBM provides flexibility and scalability in our offering portfolio, so that you can choose the model thats right for you. The
primary considerations that should be made are:
- Level of service. Your first consideration is what type of service you require. The IBM offerings are categorized as
follows:
- BASE: The base level of software support is reactive coverage. In other words, when you have a problem or
question, you submit it to IBM and we respond. Each call is routed to a specialist for the product in question and
each problem is worked individually.
- MANAGED: For managed offerings, we will assign one or more account managers to oversee all of your
support activity. Depending on the service, account management might include monthly calls, usage reports,
problem monitoring, single point of contact and relationship management.
- PROACTIVE: In addition to problem resolution, proactive offerings assist clients to avoid problems by providing
timely guidance on preventative measures.This might include notification of pervasive product issues, alerts on
critical fixes/updates, change management recommendations, disaster recovery recommendations and general
consultative assistance.
- CUSTOM: With custom services, your support solution is tailored to meet your unique needs. Customization
often includes enhanced response times, custom reports, special call handling, multivendor product coverage
and single point of contact.
- Product coverage. Product coverage is extremely important. You should always ensure that the service you select
will cover the products that you need. A list of supported products is published for each service and can be found in
the URLs listed in the following section.
- Contract and billing. One consideration that is often overlooked is the contracting and billing vehicles. IBM offers
part numbered support (ServicePac), consolidated contracts (ServiceElite) and custom statements of work (SOW).
Each contracting vehicle provides different billing options, from pre-pay to periodic payments, and may also include
special discounts.
The following section provides a brief overview of the available software support offerings.

IBM Remote Technical Support Services - ServicePac

This service offers hardware and software support for xSeries, BladeCenter, IntelliStation and Storage systems.
Coverage includes hardware questions as well as support for Microsoft Windows, Linux, IBM Director, VMware,
server applications and Storage Manager. Access to the answers you need is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a
year for severity 1 problems, and Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in your local time zone, for all other
questions and problems. With unlimited calls and unlimited callers, almost anyone at your company can call as often as
needed and receive prompt and efficient responses. This service is conveniently packaged in ServicePac part numbers
and provides the flexibility clients need for smaller environments.
Level of service:
BASE
Product Coverage: Hardware: xSeries, BladeCenter, IntelliStation, Storage
operating systems: Windows, Linux, VMware, xSeries Scalable Datacenter
Applications: IBM Director, Microsoft Small Business Server applications, Storage Manager
Contract/Billing:
ServicePac / Pre-pay

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For more information, please visit: http://www.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/so/its/a1000229

IBM Operational Support Services - Support Line

Support Line is an annuity service that provides unlimited calls and unlimited callers at a fixed price. Support Line
provides you the flexibility to choose the support groups (select operating systems, software and hardware products)
that best meet your business coverage needs. Basic support includes prime-shift coverage, defined as normal
business hours, Monday through Friday, excluding national holidays. If you require support beyond prime-shift hours,
IBM offers extended/full-shift coverage, available around the clock. Support groups include Windows, Linux, Linux
Clusters, SAN/NAS and Disk/Tape.
Level of service:
BASE
Product Coverage: Hardware: xSeries, BladeCenter, IntelliStation, Storage
Operating Systems: Windows, Linux, VMware. Supported on non-IBM (OEM) hardware.
Applications: IBM Director, Microsoft Server applications, Storage Manager
Contract/Billing:
ServiceElite / Pre-pay, Quarterly
For more information, please visit: http://www.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/offering/its/a1000030

IBM Operational Support Services - Account Advocate

Account Advocate is an add-on option to Support Line that provides a single support interface for remote support. With
this service, you are assigned your own Account Advocate team that becomes thoroughly familiar with your business
and systems environment. This team serves as your single interface for software support problems related to the
products covered under your Support Line agreement. With Account Advocate, you receive personalized problem
management, a single source of support through to resolution, problem escalation assistance, problem determination
help, and regular account review calls.
Level of service:
MANAGED
Product Coverage: Same as Support Line
Contract/Billing:
ServiceElite / Pre-pay, Quarterly
For more information, please visit: http://www.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/offering/its/a1000147

IBM Remote Technical Support Services - Enhanced Technical Support

This service is a competitively priced, fixedprice, fixed-scope service. ETS offers support coverage 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, 365 days a year, so our team is available whenever problems arise. The highly responsive phone and
electronic help that is the cornerstone of ETS helps to resolve problems promptly and efficiently, helping to reduce
delays and downtime. ETS includes rapid response, priority handling and proactive advice to help prevent problems
before they occur.
Level of service:
PROACTIVE, MANAGED
Product Coverage: Same as Support Line, xSeries High Availability Datacenter
Contract/Billing:
ServiceElite / Pre-pay, Quarterly
For more information, please visit: http://www.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/offering/its/a1009019

IBM Operational Support Services - Advanced Support

This service provides the highest level of remote support available through IBM. Tailored to meet your unique needs for
continuous, business-critical system operation, you receive a single point of contact for hardware and software issues,
proactive support to help you achieve high availability, account and problem management, monthly status calls and
reports, initial onsite visit, and a customized Technical Support Plan.
Level of service:
CUSTOM
Product Coverage: Same as Support Line, xSeries High Availability Datacenter
Contract/Billing:
Client Statement of Work (SOW) / Pre-pay, Quarterly

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For more information, please visit: http://www.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/offering/its/a1000149

Note: Please see Appendix B for a side-by-side comparison of the Software Support offerings

Online resources
In addition to the services described above, there is a wealth of information available online. This is ideal for downloading
updates, searching for common problems and understanding how products work and how to configure them. Online
resources are an essential component of the Technical Support coverage, but theyre not enough on their own. If youre
trying to resolve an obscure problem, or ask a specific question, we recommend that you leverage the software support
offerings for efficient problem-solving.
IBM also offers a set of free tools that you can download to assist in problem diagnosis, analysis and resolution. There are
over 10 comprehensive diagnostic tools designed to help keep your system productive. These tools can be reviewed and
downloaded from http://www.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=SERV-TOOLS
For more information on all of the available online resources, please review the xSeries Client Support Plan at
http://www.ibm.com/support/techdocs/atsmastr.nsf/WebIndex/PRS245
For online support information for your system(s), please visit http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/support/

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Contacting IBM for Technical Support

We support over 3,000 software and hardware products across thousands of technicians and many Support Centers. Tying all
of this together with common processes, tools and measurements enables us to deliver integrated support across our entire
product set. Our one-stop support approach is something many companies advertise, but only few can deliver.
Managing our infrastructure behind the scenes is complex, but contacting IBM for technical support is simple. All of our
support is delivered through a single phone number (800-IBM-SERV). Instead of having multiple layers of phone menus to
navigate, we get you to an Entitlement Agent as quickly as possible. In most cases, you simply have to choose between
hardware warranty or software support and well take care of the rest with a human interface. This section will help you
familiarize yourself with how IBMs technical support works and how to place your calls.

Before Contacting IBM

Preparing to contact IBM with a support request is not difficult. The key to quickly engaging your support services is
having the right information on hand. Familiarize yourself with the process of getting support, so that when you need to
engage IBM in a hurry, you know what to expect.

Define the problem

Once you've identified that your hardware, operating system, or application software is malfunctioning, the next step is
to define what the problem and/or question is. When calling in for technical support from IBM, the phone menu will
prompt you to pick one of two support categories:
- Option 1: Hardware for Warranty and Maintenance calls
- Option 2: Software for operating system, application software and hardware configuration calls
If you are not sure if the problem/question is for hardware or software, pick software. IBM Support will work with you to
sort out the appropriate product. A different support technician may then be engaged to take over your case and drive it
to resolution.
Being able to articulate the problem and symptoms before contacting technical support will expedite the problem
resolution process. Its very important that you are as specific as possible in explaining a problem or question to our
specialists.
Note: If you are unsure about how to define your issue, the "Problem Identification Worksheet" in Appendix A will assist
you.

Gather background information

To effectively and efficiently solve a problem, we need to have all of the relevant information about your environment
and the problem symptoms. Being able to answer the following questions will help us diagnose your issue more
quickly:
- What levels of software were you running when the problem occurred? Please include all relevant products, i.e.,
operating system, as well as related products.
- Has the problem happened before or is this an isolated incident?
- What steps led to the failure?
- Can the problem be recreated? If so, what steps are required?
- Have any changes been made to the system?
- Were any messages or other diagnostic information produced? If yes, what were they?
- It is often helpful to have a printout of the message number(s) of any messages received when you place the call
for support.

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- Define your technical question in specific terms and provide the version and release level of the product(s) in
question.
- If the operating system in question provides a tool to pull configuration information and log files, this information
may be requested.

Determine the business impact

You need to assign a severity level to the problem when you report it, so you need to understand the business impact
of the problem you are reporting. A description of the severity levels follows:

Severity Levels
Severity 1

You are completely unable to use your business-critical hardware or operating system.
This applies to a production system environment that supports either your internal
business functions directly, or supports your clients directly. This does not apply to a
development, testing or staging environment.

Severity 2

You are able to use your business-critical hardware or operating system, but the
business-critical functions are severely limited.

Severity 3

You are able to use your business-critical hardware and software for your businesscritical functions, but other functions are unavailable or limited.

Severity 4

The problem has very little impact on business-critical operations or a workaround for
the problem has been found.

Gather supporting data

When contacting IBM, you will need to supply various types of information so that a problem ticket can be created. IBM
personnel update this electronic record when you call in, creating a history of the interactions between you and IBM.
When you call into IBM for technical support, IBM will need to verify who you are and what type of support you have a
contract for. This verification process is called "entitlement". Every time a problem ticket is opened, entitlement must be
performed. The entitlement process for hardware relies on the serial number of the machine. The entitlement process
for operating system or application software hinges on the customer number or the system serial number. Having the
following information gathered before calling IBM will help the entitlement process go smoothly.
- IBM customer number, if applicable
- Machine type and model number of the machine and its serial number (can be found on the exterior of the
machine)
- Your company name and the name and contact information for the person in your company who will handle the
technical portion of the resolution
Once youve gathered as much information as possible, you can either place a call to 1-800-IBM-SERV or submit your
problem/question electronically (see next section).

Contacting IBM for Warranty/Maintenance Assistance (Hardware Support)

Service calls for warranty and maintenance can be placed over the phone or electronically. Each problem is diagnosed
remotely to identify a failing component, prior to dispatch of parts and/or labor. This section describes how to place a
service call, using the different methods.

Placing a call (1-800-IBM-SERV Option 1)

Call entitlement
After dialing 1-800-IBM-SERV and selecting option 1 (hardware), you will be presented with the following options:

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- Option 1 - To Place a Service Call. This option should be used when placing new service calls. Once selected,
you will be prompted to enter the 4 digit Machine Type of the system you are reporting. This step helps identify
which Receive Call team your call should be routed to.
- Option 2 - To Check the Status of an Existing Service Call. This option should be used if you have previously
reported the issue and you are seeking a status. Once selected, you will be prompted to enter the 4 digit Machine
Type of the system you are reporting. This step helps identify which Receive Call team your call should be
routed to.
Once you have completed these selections, your call will be routed to a Call Receive agent, who will begin the call
creation process. As part of the call creation process, the agent will ask you a series of questions that will help identify
your record in our system and define the issue that you are experiencing. Following that, the agent will begin
troubleshooting the problem. You will be asked for the following details:
- Type of product. If a Machine Type was not entered in the phone menu system, or was entered incorrectly, the
agent will request information on the type of system that is showing the symptoms.
- Telephone Number. The area code and telephone number of the location where the service is requested.
- Account Name. This will be verified with the entitlement record and updated if inaccurate.
- Address. This is the address of the location where the service is requested. Note: Post Office Boxes will not be
accepted as an address.
- Contact Persons Name and Telephone Number. This is the contact information of the person that can be
contacted at the location of the failing system.
- System Serial Number. This is the serial number of the device/system that is causing problems.
Once this information has been gathered, the Agent will review the data with you to verify accuracy. They will then
create the Service Call record and provide you with the Service Call Number (ticket number). It is very important that
you retain this number until the call record is closed.

Problem Determination and Problem Resolution

Problem determination is defined as the steps taken to discover the root cause of the computing problem. Problem
determination requires that the IBM technical support and/or the client follow an action plan which is created by IBM
technical support.
IBM Technical Support will begin problem determination by reviewing the history and exact nature of the problem with
you. There are generally two ways to identify a technical problem - either by positive identification, or by process of
elimination. Positive identification is where a problem can be identified directly through evidence, without a need to
eliminate other possible factors. Process of elimination is a debugging technique in which factors that could be causing
the problem are eliminated one by one until the factor that caused the problem can be more clearly identified.
Once the source of the problem has been identified, problem resolution can be achieved in several different ways. In
many cases, it will result in the replacement of parts, firmware or drivers and the technician will direct you on how to
proceed.

National Duty Manager

If you would like to escalate an issue, you may call 1-800-IBM-SERV and request a Duty Manager. The Duty
Manager's role is to listen to a client's needs and invoke whatever resources are available to assist the client.

Additional Information on Warranty Services

For more information on your systems warranty coverage and available options, please visit:
http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/support/xseries/
Select your system and select GO and you will be taken to documentation and downloads that are specific to that
system. The following documents explain warranty and maintenance in more detail:
- Hardware Maintenance Manual and Troubleshooting Guide. This guide will provide information on how to
perform your own problem determination, how to implement changes and how to access Technical Support.

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- Machine Warranty Information. This document provides general warranty information, including the different
types of service, whats covered and whats not covered.

Electronic submission
IBM provides the ability to place and monitor hardware service requests electronically. This process can be used for
machines under warranty, IBM Maintenance Agreement or for requesting hourly billable services. If during our
entitlement process, your request is determined to be an hourly billable service request, IBM will contact you to
determine the appropriate handling of your service request.
To submit, update and view problem management record (PMR) electronically, please visit
http://www.ibm.com/support/us/ and select Open a service request from the left menu. The site will guide you through
the submission process.

IBM Electronic Service Agent

You want high availability with your xSeries server. So when your system is installed, be sure that you download and
activate your IBM Electronic Service Agent.
With this software, using the same exclusive technologies as IBM's high-end systems, your xSeries system can
electronically track potential problems and errorsaround the clockand automatically communicate reports to your
IBM support specialists. Required system inventory information can also be automatically collected and shared, helping
to reduce data entry errors and misread information. These functions are designed to deliver proactive, preventive
maintenance and, because we may know about problems often before they impact you, help us diagnose and fix your
problems faster.
There is no additional cost to you for Service Agent software or for these automated system monitoring services.
Downloading your software is easy and all you have to do is make sure it's running to take advantage of Service Agent
support services.
For further information on Electronic Service Agent, please visit:
https://www-304.ibm.com/jct03004c/support/electronic/portal

Contacting IBM for Remote Technical Support (Software Support)

The IBM Remote Technical Support team can be contacted via phone (voice) or electronically. The only exception to this is
for RTS ServicePac clients, who do not have access to electronic submission. Electronic submission is convenient, since
you can easily document your problem description and include detailed diagnostic information, which may be difficult over
the phone. However, electronic problem submission is not suited to Severity 1 (critical) issues, so we recommend that
these be handled via phone.
When calling or submitting a problem to IBM Software Support about a particular service request, please have the
following information ready:
- IBM Customer Number (Support Line, Account Advocate, Enhanced Technical Support and Advanced Support
clients)
- The machine type/model/serial number (RTS ServicePac clients)
- Company name
- Contact name
- Preferred means of contact (voice or email)
- Telephone number where you can be reached if request is voice
- Related product and version information
- Related operating system and database information
- Detailed description of the issue
- Severity of the issue in relationship to the impact of it affecting your business needs

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Problem Management Record (PMR)

Whether you contact IBM over the phone or electronically, a PMR will be created. A PMR is an electronic
representation of the problem that you contacted IBM about. It allows IBM technical support to track information about
your problem, and update this record electronically. Recording the problem details, client feedback, technical research
and action plans, in one record, is critical to striving for seamless support across support teams and technicians.
Retain the PMR number, and use it when dealing with IBM technical support to refer to the problem that you called in
about. There should only be one problem reported in each PMR. If your system has multiple problems, this means you
must open a PMR for each one. Keeping one problem per PMR helps IBM technical support see the complete history
of problem determination steps that have been tried for each problem, so that no steps are unnecessarily repeated.
The format of the PMR number consists of three groups of numbers:
- Five digit PMR number and is a unique identifier
- Three digit branch number, indicating geographical area
- Three digit country code,

Placing a call (1-800-IBM-SERV Option 2)

Call entitlement
After dialing 1-800-IBM-SERV and selecting option 2 (software), your call will be routed to an Entitlement Agent. This
agent will verify entitlement to service, create a PMR and route the problem/call to the appropriate Support Center.
Each agent is responsible for handling entitlement for 3000+ products, so its critical that you provide some basic
information on the problem you are reporting and the related product.
The Entitlement Agent will ask the following questions:
1.

Is this a new or existing problem? If this is an existing problem, they will request the PMR number and
then route your call to the support technician working on your problem. Since the history of the issue is
recorded in the PMR, the technician can easily continue with the next action.

2.

Please provide your customer number or system serial number. For new problems, entitlement must be
performed, prior to any technical work. The agent will look up your support profile by searching on either your
customer number or your systems serial number. Your method for entitlement will depend on how you
purchased the support service:

3.

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RTS ServicePac clients are entitled by the serial number of the server/device. Note: For
BladeCenter calls, please use the serial number of each Blade and not the BladeCenter Chassis
serial number.

Support Line, Account Advocate, Enhanced Technical Support and Advanced Support clients are
entitled by their IBM Customer Number.

Which product are you calling in on? The answer to this question will determine which support center
receives your problem first. Hence, its important that you provide the Entitlement Agent with the name of the
product you believe is causing the problem or showing symptoms. Once the product name has been
provided, the Agent will look at your Entitlement Profile and ensure that you have coverage for the selected
product. Here are some examples of recommended product selection during the entitlement process:
-

Problem: Active Directory errors. Product = Windows Server 2003

Problem: How to configure RSA Adapter. Product = xSeries server family (e.g., xSeries 460)

Problem: How do I configure my DS400? Product = DS400

Problem: How do I setup a crash-dump in Red Hat? Product = Red Hat

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4.

What is the problem severity? The defined severity of your problem signifies the business impact of the
issue. This helps the Support Centers prioritize their workload, so that each clients problem is handled
accordingly. The severity of a problem can be changed at any time. Please refer to the Before Contacting
IBM section above for a definition of the severity levels.

5.

Please provide a problem description. Provide the Entitlement Agent with a brief description of the
problem/question. This will be documented in the PMR and will help identify the correct technician to work on
your issue.

Once the entitlement process is complete, your call and/or PMR will be routed to the appropriate Support Center for
problem determination.
Note: Account Advocate, Enhanced Technical Support and Advanced Support clients will follow a fast-path call flow
and entitlement process, when placing calls. At the commencement of the service, you will have been provided a Direct
Access Code (DAC), which you should use when calling 800-IBM-SERV. Simply enter your code after selecting option
2 and your call will be routed directly to your first point of contact.

Problem Determination
Problem determination is defined as the steps taken to discover the root cause of the computing problem. Doing
problem determination requires that the IBM technical support and/or the client follow an action plan which is created
by IBM technical support. Each step of problem determination is recorded in the PMR by IBM technical support so that
there is a history of what attempts have been made to resolve the problem.
IBM technical support will begin problem determination by reviewing the history and exact nature of the problem with
you. There are generally two ways to identify a technical problem - either by positive identification, or by process of
elimination. Positive identification is where a problem can be identified directly through evidence, without a need to
eliminate possible factors. Process of elimination is a debugging technique in which factors that could be causing the
problem are eliminated one by one until the factor that caused the problem can be more clearly identified. Various other
techniques are used for complex issues, including IBM problem recreation, remote debug, remote control and
system/network traces.
If it is determined that the root cause of the problem is due to the interactions of multiple products, IBM technical
support may involve people from different IBM support areas or non-IBM Vendors. Calling 1-800-IBM-SERV for that
one PMR number should allow you to communicate with any or all IBM entities involved in solving the problem in that
specific PMR.

Problem Resolution
The root cause of the problem may turn out to be one of three things:
- A known defect. If the problem is a known defect, IBM may be able to provide a fix for the problem, a
workaround, or a date that a fix may come out for the known problem.
- A new (previously unreported) defect. If the problem is a new defect, it will be registered internally to IBM as a
new defect, or to the non-IBM Vendor that owns the product code. For new defects reported to non-IBM vendors
(e.g., Microsoft, Red Hat, SUSE, VMware), IBM will report the failure, but responsibility for fixing the defect lies
with the Vendor. The technician that owns the PMR will be responsible for communicating the status of the defect
to the client at the appropriate time.
- Not a defect. If the problem is not defect-related, IBM technical support will attempt to help you correct the
problem. These calls would typically be resolved by answering how-to questions, resolving configuration issues,
providing guidance and referral to documentation. If the non-defect solution requires actions beyond the scope of
the IBM support center, you will be directed to other IBM resources to assist you.

Electronic Problem Submission over the Internet

For Support Line, Account Advocate, Enhanced Technical Support and Advanced Support clients, IBM provides the
ability to create, track and update problems electronically (over the Internet). This method is ideal for issues that require
detailed problem documentation, for clients that are difficult to contact via phone, and for less critical problems.

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Through IBMs web interface, you can easily read the PMR updates made by IBM support personnel and respond with
your own updates. Voice PMRs can also be viewed, so you will be able to see all problem tickets that you have created
under your customer number.
To submit, update and view PMRs electronically, please visit http://www.ibm.com/support/us/ and select Open a
service request from the left menu. The site will guide you through account setup and problem submission.
Note: Electronic submission is not available to RTS ServicePac clients.

Working together to resolve problems

IBM technical personnels role in the support process
IBM technical support personnel have a specific role to play in helping you with your technical problem. We try to make
your support experience quick, easy, and pleasant. To that end, you can expect that IBM technical support personnel
will:
-

Obtain a problem description

Assess and re-assess the severity of the PMR with you
Attempt to find the root cause of the problem by creating and following an action plan
Route defects to skilled engineers and/or third party vendors
Answer short-duration how-to problems
Engage other entities within our support centers for assistance in solving a problem, if necessary
Maintain a professional demeanor

Clients role in the support process

You can help IBM by being acquainted with your role in the support process. The more prepared you are to assist IBM
support, the faster IBM can solve your technical problem. Without your help, we can't help you! So please do not be
surprised if IBM technical support desires the following things:
-

Do some basic assessment of the problem prior to contacting IBM

Assist IBM with troubleshooting and debugging activities
Be willing to apply fixes and maintenance if your operating system or microcode is down level (not current)
Follow IBM's action plan for problem determination and problem resolution
Be willing to submit enough data to satisfy problem determination
Acquire, apply, and test fixes suggested by IBM to assist in problem determination or problem resolution
Maintain a professional demeanor

Handling difficulties
If your technical problem lies within the scope of your service, and yet adequate progress is not being made, you have
other avenues you can take to resolve the problem, including:
- Request that the severity of the PMR be increased. This request can be made to the technician working on
your issue, to the entitlement agent or to the duty manager (see below).
- Involve a Duty Manager. A duty manager's role is to listen to a client's needs and invoke whatever resources are
available to assist the client. The duty manager can be reached by calling 1-800-IBM-SERV and asking to speak
to a duty manager.

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Appendix A Problem Identification Worksheet

This form helps you identify problems and assists IBM Technical Support in finding solutions. Having as much of this
information available as possible will expedite the diagnosis of your problem.

System Information
- What is the failing product?
- What is the version and release number?
- What machine model, operating system, and version are running?

Problem Description/Symptoms
- What are the exact symptoms of the problem?
- What are the expected results?
- What statement or command is being used?
- What is or isnt happening, including exact error number and message text?
- Is anyone else experiencing the problem?
- Is this the first time this operation has been attempted?
- Is this the first time this problem has occurred?
- Can the problem be reproduced? If so, please provide a reproducible test case or instructions
on how to reproduce the error condition.

Environment
- When did this activity work last?
- What has changed since the activity last worked?
- If the problem does not occur every time, under what conditions does the problem not occur?
- Is any other software running on the system which may be in conflict with this product?

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Appendix B Software Support Offering Comparison Table

Base Support

This table illustrates the primary differences between the Software Support (Remote Technical Support) Offerings.

Support Line

Account
Advocate

Enhanced
Technical
Support

Advanced
Support

Entitlement

Entitlement

Technical

Technical

Technical

Unlimited calls/incidents

Unlimited callers

RTS
ServicePac
Phone-based support
Electronic problem submission
Initial contact

Sev 1: 24x7
Sev 2,3,4: 9x5

9x5 or 24x7
(all severities)

9x5 or 24x7
(all severities)

24x7

24x7

Standard

Standard

Standard

Priority

Custom

Problem Management

Escalation Management

Monthly status call

Problem activity reports

Client profile database

Basic

Enhanced

Custom

Orientation and planning session

Basic

Enhanced

On site

Technical Support Plan

Basic

Enhanced

Custom

Single Point of Contact for SW

Single Point of Contact for HW

Critical Problem Alerts

Problem avoidance advice

General proactive

Change Management planning

assistance

Supportability Reviews

ServicePac

ServiceElite

ServiceElite

ServiceElite

Custom SOW

None

None

Support Line

Support Line

None

1 or 3 year

Multi-year

Multi-year

Multi-year

Multi-year

Support on non-IBM (OEM) HW

Coverage hours

Contract

Proactive

Account Management

Voice response time

Contracting Vehicle
Prerequisites
Term (duration)

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 Copyright IBM Corporation 2006

IBM Global Services
Route 100
Somers, NY 10589
U.S.A.
Produced in the United States of America
02-06
All Rights Reserved
IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com, BladeCenter, DB2, Electronic Service Agent, Intellistation, eServer, ServicePac, WebSphere and xSeries are
trademarks or registered trademarks of IBM Corporation in the United States, other countries or both.
Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.
Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States, other countries, or both.
Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.

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