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![[pSeries machines]](images/3ps.shorter.gif)
RS/6000 machines are also Unix Servers. However, RS/6000 machines should not be confused with pSeries machines. To view a list of model numbers associated with pSeries and RS/6000 machines, please see pSeries Hardware Documentation and select by system. The RS/6000 machines and the pSeries machines can have similar hardware depending on their model numbers. For hardware details, please follow the link above for the particular model number you're interested in. The link will guide you to information about the type and speed of the microprocessor and other specifics about the hardware. The RS/6000 was built upon the "RISC" technology, which stands for "Reduced Instruction-Set Computer." The reduced instruction set allowed for a more rapid execution of instructions, creating lightening-quick responses to complex calculations. The "RS" in the RS/6000 name is referring to the RISC technology. The pSeries machines can be thought of as the new generation of RS/6000. The focus of the pSeries name is on the performance - that's what the "p" in pSeries stands for. The pSeries machine has significant increases in Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS), such as hot-swappable disks, dynamic processor deallocation, and Chipkill™ memory. For more information about pSeries features, see the report entitled "IBM eServer pSeries Facts and Features" on the website: pSeries Literature If the word "Power" is capitalized in IBM documentation, if refers to a particular type of microprocessor. The pSeries model p670 has a Power4 microprocessor, and so does the RS/6000 model 43P. Whenever the improvements to the microprocessor become significantly different from the previous microprocessor, the version number changes. So for example, the new generation of pSeries machines have a Power5 (p5) microprocessor. More information about the Power microprocessors can be found at the Power Architecture or the About System p5 sites.
Occasionally, the need arises for IBM to change the way that
technical support is offered to customers. IBM gives unique names
to contracts which allow different types of support. This gives
a lot of flexibility to customers who purchase technical support along with
their hardware, because support can be tailored to what hardware,
operating system, and application software a customer purchased. With the advent of
hardware that can have multiple operating systems running on the
same machine, a new way of purchasing support had to be figured out
to reflect this new flexibility.
In the past, the way to purchase AIX operating system technical support was through "SupportLine" or an "EAS" subscription. EAS stood for "Enhanced AIX Operating System," which gave customers access to remote technical support. EAS was withdrawn July 31st, 2003, and was replaced by the support contract known as "SWMA." "AIX SWMA" stands for "AIX Software Maintenance." It provides technical support, defect investigation and repair, and software upgrades on current versions of AIX. Coverage for versions of AIX which have been withdrawn from marketing are available as special contracts from the Remote Technical Support (RTS) organization. The cost of AIX SWMA is based on the server's processor group and the number of processors purchased. Middleware SWMA is purchased separately.
It is important that you become familiar with what your IBM support contract provides for, so that you can take full advantage of all the support mechanisms your company has purchased. Some types of support contracts only allow for electronic submission of problems, in which case you may be contacted by e-mail. Some provisions in your contract may allow you to only have "voice support," so that an IBM technical support person can call you on the telephone. Other provisions allow for online updating of your problems. This may make a big difference in your experience with IBM technical support. Please investigate your support options by being familiar with your contract. If you have any questions about your support contract, contact your IBM representative. If you don't know who your IBM representative is, call 1-800-426-2255 (IBM Direct, Sales/Order Support), and request assistance for finding your company's IBM representative(s). Note: IBM Business Partners go through PartnerWorld for their support. SWMA is not how Business Partners acquire support for AIX.
IBM's webpages are constantly expanding in an effort to provide customers with current and accurate information. How do we help you find all the products, services, and information that IBM has to offer on the entry-point webpage, www.ibm.com? Well, IBM has built some consistency into its webpages to help you find information quickly and easily. Currently, IBM's pages have two frames- a top frame and a left frame. The top frame has the IBM logo, a search bar, and some links. The links are "Home," "Products," "Services and solutions" "Support & downloads," and "My account." These links get you to major topic areas within IBM. This top frame with these links will be on every IBM webpage unless you're looking at a pdf file, a special handbook, or a whitepaper. This allows you to jump from one major area to another. To get to pSeries technical information from the main www.ibm.com webpage, you would click on "Products," and look at the links under the "Servers" section. The pSeries machine is a Unix server, so you click on the link called "Unix". For pSeries technical support, click on the "Support" link in the left frame. This link should lead you to Support for AIX 5L and Linux servers This is the main entry point for a class of servers which run Linux and AIX operating systems. To find information specifically on eServer pSeries machines, use the hardware pull-down menu. This will lead you to the Support for eServer pSeries servers. You will find that the majority of the technical information about IBM's computers is sorted by what type of hardware they are. If you know the categories that your computer belongs in, you can find your information much easier. Also, information on IBM websites tends to be organized from the top-down according to the chart above. A top-down view of pSeries would be: Server --> Unix Server --> pSeries The left side of IBM's webpages (called the "left navbar") can also be a helpful hint about where you are inside IBM's webpages. The top link inside this left frame is the name of a topic area within IBM. pSeries technical webpages will have "System p5 Servers" as that top link in the left frame. The interior of the webpage will often have "tabs." The tabs resemble manilla folders that organize hardcopy information, but they are actually links to other webpages. When the tab is light-colored, that is the tab that is active and showing you its information. If a tab is shaded, it means that the information connected with them is hidden from you currently. Click on the tab name, and that information will come to the front so you can read it. Technical information for pSeries will be linked from "support" pages. Support is different from services. Support is help with the technical end of owning an IBM computer. This realm includes:
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![[image of multi-colored wires]](images/15-rainbow.jpg)
![[image of a contract]](images/25-contract5.jpg)