Contacting IBM

The operating system that runs on a computer is closely tied to the hardware. That is why, on IBM websites, the operating system support is often found by looking up the model of hardware you're using. Application software, on the other hand, may run on many different types of operating systems, and so is not as closely tied to the hardware as the operating system is. This section of the handbook is devoted to explaining how to invoke remote technical support for the AIX operating system and pSeries hardware. If you've determined that your computing problem is likely to be due to application software rather than the operating system or the hardware, please consult the IBM Software Support Handbook for more detailed information about application software support.

Contacting IBM ...by phone in North America What to expect of technical support Other ways of contacting IBM For out-of-scope support What helps IBM technical support help you Satisfaction Acknowledgement Version information

The main phone number to contact IBM technical support in North America is

The 1-800-IBM-SERV phone number is the number to call for pSeries hardware and AIX operating system voice support if you've already purchased a contract for support. (If you do not have a support contract, call anyway. IBM will assist you.)

The automated phone system will do some initial routing of your call to the proper entity based on your responses. Having a good idea of the nature of the problem will help you at this point. If you don't know know if the problem is hardware or software related, choose "software." The IBM technical person that you speak to will do some additional problem determination and route you to a more specific support area if necessary.

Accessing the Severity of the Problem

IBM technical support will assist you in assessing the "severity" of the problem that you call in to report. The severity is a measure used to help IBM technical support rank the urgency of the situation. This severity number may change in the course of your communication with IBM technical support. For example, if you call into IBM because your machine is completely hung, the problem may become a severity 1. When IBM helps you get your machine back up and running, your severity level may be reduced. We want everyone to get appropriate service, but without properly prioritizing the calls, we cannot do this. Severity 1 calls should be reserved for systems that are effectively unusable in order to prioritize those calls. Here are the explanations of severity:

** For severity explanations in regards to application software support rather than operating system or hardware support, see the IBM Software Support Handbook.

**The "Assessing Severity" chart does not apply to Partnerworld PMRs.

Problem Management Record (PMR) creation

Upon calling IBM technical support, a "Problem Management Record" ( 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.

The PMR number consists of three groups of numbers:

1. The PMR number, which is 5 digits long and is a unique identifier.
2. The branch number, which is 3 digits long and indicates a geographical area.
3. The country code, which is 3 digits long and indicates what country you're in. (The U.S. has a country code of "000".)

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.

Problem Determination

The PMR will be routed to an IBM technical support group. At the same time, you may be transferred to someone in that group that you may speak with immediately. Sometimes, however, you will be called back as soon as a support technician is available.

IBM technical support will begin problem determination by reviewing the history and exact nature of the problem with you. Sometimes the resolution to the problem can be determined by the asking of questions alone. However, IBM technical support may request that you:

• Run some operating system commands and gather the output
• Recreate the problem and gather data during the period of time that the problem manifests
• Run a script on your machine to gather data for you
• Send data into one of IBM's testcase servers by ftp.

There are generally two ways to identify a technical problem - either by positive identification, or by process of elimination. It would be nice if every problem could be identified just by how it manifests itself - positive identification. However, if the problem doesn't show the underlying cause plainly, then IBM technical support will have to walk you through eliminating suspects one-by-one until the real root cause of the problem shows itself. Problem determination by process of elimination can take time and may involve repeatedly gathering data. Please be patient with this technique, as it will evenually shed light on the underlying problem.

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. 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.

It is rare, but occassionally the root cause of a problem cannot be determined. Sometimes a workaround or a fix is found for a problem, but IBM support was unable to determine what caused the problem. Being unable to determine the root cause of a problem may indicate two or more defects combining indirectly to form a new defect with odd symptoms. Upgrading can eliminate the two original defects so the new defect that was formed goes away as well. It is extremely difficult to get positive identification of the root cause for this type of problem. Identifying the root cause for a problem is IBM's desire, but it simply is not possible for every type of computing problem.

Sending data to IBM

IBM has many servers designed to receive incoming data from customers. When dealing with IBM technical support, you may be asked to send data into IBM. This is usually accomplished by ftp'ing data to a secure testcase server. The testcase servers make it possible for customers to transmit data to IBM in a secure fashion - other customers will not be able to see your data. IBM technical support personnel, however, will be able to retrieve your data from the secure testcase server. Different IBM technical support centers use different testcase servers, or even different directories on the same testcase server. When requesting that you send in data, your IBM technical support contact will inform you of how to place your data on the IBM testcase server nearest you.

If your problem is being handled by multiple IBM technical teams, you may have to place the same data on different IBM testcase servers so that all the IBM personnel working on your problem have access to your data. We are aware that this is a slight inconvenience, but realize that IBM has internal security restrictions. We want your data to be seen only by the IBM personnel involved in solving the problem, so different IBM support groups rarely have access to each other's testcase servers. This high standard of security is maintained to protect your company's data, and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Problem Resolution

The root cause of the problem may turn out to be one of 3 things:

• A known defect.
• A new (previously unreported) defect.
• Not a defect at all.

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. If the problem is a new defect, it will be registered internally to IBM as a new defect and someone will be assigned to fix the defect or determine if the problem is resolved in the next generation of the of the operating system or hardware. If the problem is not defect-related at all, IBM technical support will attempt to help you correct the problem. If the non-defect solution requires actions which are beyond the scope of the IBM support center, you will be directed to other IBM resources to assist you. Some of those other IBM resources are listed below in the section "For intensive support".

If IBM determines that a software defect has been identified, an Authorized Program Analysis Report
(APAR)) will be created which describes the problem in detail, along with any necessary diagnostic documentation that you may be asked to provide. Because of the complexities of the environments supported, APARs will often take several weeks, possibly months, to debug and to write, test, package and distribute a fix. For high impact problems, IBM Support will make every effort to develop a bypass or workaround that you can use until the APAR has been resolved and a Program Temporary Fix ( PTF) has been created. Code fixes for IBM products may be distributed via software subscriptions, service packages or in a future release of the product. In such cases when the fix is delivered on physical media, a minimal shipping and media charge may apply.

Communicating with IBM by telephone is called "voice support," but there are electronic ways to contact support and engage IBM.

For pSeries support, there is electronic submission for both operating system and hardware support. Access to the electronic submission of problems is through the main pSeries technical support page, Support for eServer pSeries servers . Use the link in the left frame entitled "Submit and track problems," or find a link under the "Problem reporting and status" section under the " Troubleshooting" tab. This will lead you to the IBM Electronic Services Site.

The IBM Electronic Services site lets you electronically create and track PMRs. You can read the updates made by IBM support personnel, and respond through the electronic medium of the PMR. In fact, all PMRs, whether opened by phone or electronically over the internet, can be viewable by the customer. Service Requests, a way of submitting and tracking PMRs electronically, make a take a while to set up. But once IBM has verified your service contracts, submitting PMRs electronically over the internet is very quick. Please experiment with this method of opening a PMR and see how convenient it is.

Some non-defect support work is beyond the scope of what AIX Support Line and AIX SWMA offer. "How-to" non-defect support problems which are extremely time-intensive require a different tactic. More information about the scope of AIX Support Line and AIX SWMA can be found in the section "What helps IBM technical support help you," in the sub-section entitled "Understanding the scope of IBM AIX operating system and pSeries hardware support through AIX Support Line and AIX SWMA." For time-intensive service, you may need to engage Consult Line or IBM Global Services.

Consult Line

Consult Line is a service that provides you with intensive step-by-step support for non-defect problems. This support is done remotely. The difference between what would be considered a Consult Line problem vs. a problem that is dealt with by IBM AIX Support Line and AIX SWMA contracts, is illustrated in the following examples:

• IBM AIX support would help debug a problem of an AIX product that's already been installed, but Consult Line would provide intensive step-by-step support for a task such as walking you through a setup process outlined in IBM documentation.
• IBM AIX support would help you track down a Logical Volume Manager (LVM) defect, but Consult Line would assist you in attempting to recover lost LVM data.

Other Consult Line activities:

• Solution design
• Analysis of system traces
• Debugging custom applications or scripts
• Customizing a computing environment or application to fit a particular computing need
• Work with 3rd party (non-IBM) software and applications
• Lengthy performance tuning, or tuning for a highly unique computing environment
• Tuning to enhance system performance
• System design
• Extensive configuration planning or customization
• Problem solving and resolution in an unsupported environment or configuration
• When you need it done for you rather than being shown how to do it.

If you already have a PMR open, your IBM technical support person can direct the PMR to Consult Line. If you do not have a PMR open already, you can call the following number:
1-888-426-4343, option 1

IBM Global Services (IGS)

IGS provides intensive, focused, and/or long-term services for you and your company. Some IGS services can even provide on-site support to help resolve a complex technical issue. A nice grouping of the services that IGS provides for pSeries can be found in the Customer Support Plan; pSeries, US or Canada pdfs under the section regarding IGS. Here are some examples of IGS services:

• Integrated Technology Services
• Product-Specific Services
• Server Consolidation
• Implementation Services for pSeries LPAR
• Operational Support Services - Advanced Support
• Migrations Services for pSeries

For an exhaustive list of all the services that IGS can provide, visit IGS Services, A-Z. You can also call IGS and discuss your options with someone who can help pinpoint the service you need. 1-800-IBM-7777

IBM Technical Support Services

Information about extended support services including Warranty, HW and SW Maintenance, AIX, Linux, and Premium Support services can be found within the IBM pSeries SPEC Sheet at the site listed below. The IBM pSeries SPEC Sheet documents these additional pSeries technical support services, highlights of each service, customer benefits, and contact information.
IBM Technical Support Services for IBM eServer pSeries Servers

Understanding the scope of IBM AIX operating system and pSeries hardware support through AIX Support Line and AIX SWMA

The Software Maintenance contract for AIX, "AIX SWMA," states that this type of support is for "routine, short duration installation and usage (how-to) questions" as well as "code-related" questions. The IBM technical support under AIX SWMA is geared towards the identification and resolution of defects and short-duration how-to questions. The IBM technical teams who provide support under the AIX SWMA contract sort out how-to problems from operating system defects and hardware defects. Identified defects are either fixed as soon as possible, fixed in a future release, or not fixed per IBM's discretion. Short-duration how-to problems are solved as soon as possible. It is at the discretion of the IBM support personnel to determine if the depth and complexity of support necessary to fix a how-to problem is beyond the scope of the AIX SWMA and AIX Support Line contracts.

Understanding the role of IBM technical personnnel in the support process

IBM technical personnel supporting AIX SWMA and AIX Support Line contracts for pSeries 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 personnnel 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
• Answer short-duration how-to problems
• Engage other entities within our support area for assistance in solving a problem if necessary
• Determine if the problem is beyond the scope of our support organization and steer you towards other support if necessary
• Maintain a professional demeanor

Understanding the role of the customer 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
• Have or acquire the sufficient skill to assist IBM with debugging techniques (such as running AIX commands at the command line)
• Be willing to apply fixes and maintenance if your operating system or microcode is downlevel (not current)
• Follow IBM support'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 AIX Support Line or your AIX SWMA contract, and yet progress is not being made or you feel some injustice has been done, you have recourse. There are several things you can do:

1. Request that the severity of the pmr be increased.
   Realize, however, that not all problems fit the definition for a severity of 1 ( the most severe). If your problem has one of the following conditions:
• The PMR is really out of the scope of AIX Support Line and AIX SWMA support
• A problem description has not yet been determined for your PMR
• IBM has requested data from you, but you have not yet submitted it
• No one is available from the customer site 24x7 to assist IBM with debugging, data collection and data submission
• A viable workaround which puts the computer back in service has been found
• The problem is in an unsupported configuration, making it out of the scope of what AIX Support Line and AIX SWMA was designed to handle

IBM technical support would be likely to resist a designation of severity 1.

2. Involve a Duty Manager. A Duty Manager's role is to listen to a customer's needs and invoke whatever resources are available to assist the customer. The Duty Manager can be reached from the same main support number that is used to call into IBM, 1-800-IBM-SERV.
3. For any unresolved problems, contact your IBM representative.
The "IBM representative" is the person or or persons who sold the pSeries machine to your company. This IBM representative has the power to pursue unresolved problems in a manner that is outside of the Support realm. Any unresolved issues should be brought to the attention of this representative. If you do not know who your IBM representative is, please call this number:
1-800-426-2255 (IBM Direct, Sales/Order Support),
and request assistance for finding your company's IBM representative(s).

IBM strives to deliver the best technical support possible. Your feedback about our support is important to us. We use feedback to make improvements in our service, support, infrastructure, and even the provisions of the contracts for support.

If you are not satisfied with the support you've received

There are a couple of things you can do to express your dissatisfaction with AIX and pSeries technical support or the products themselves.

• If you feel comfortable with this, explain the source and nature of your dissatisfation with the IBM technical support person who is helping you with your computing problem. Sometimes the source of dissatisfaction is something that the technician can resolve.
• Contact a Duty Manager at 1-800-IBM-SERV and explain what you are unhappy with, and what you think could be done to resolve the situation. Understand that there may be no IBM service or support for what you are requesting. The Duty Manager must work with what IBM has to offer. If what you want is not on the list, the Duty Manager can ensure that your request is acknowledged by the proper entity.
• Contact your IBM representative - the person or persons who sold your company the pSeries machine. This person has the ability to pursue customer satisfaction issues. If you do not know who your IBM representative is, call 1-800-426-2255 and request to speak with someone who can help you find the name of your company's IBM representative.
• If you get called with a random survey after your IBM support experience, let your opinion be known at that time.

If you are satisfied with the support you've received

It is refreshing to hear compliments. We want to hear what satisfies you about our support, so we can keep doing those things that make you a happy customer. If you have the time, and feel that IBM technical support has more than fulfilled your expectations, please let us know in one of the following ways:

• Send an e-mail to the IBM technical support person who assisted you, being sure to mention exactly what it was that impressed you about IBM's support. Support personnel can show these e-mails to their managers.
• Speak to a Duty Manager, 1-800-IBM-SERV, who will pass on your compliment to the appropriate entity.
• If you get called with a random survey after your IBM support experience, let your opinion be known at that time.

Thanks to Roger McKnight, author of IBM Software Support Handbook for some of the information regarding APARs. Additionally, I adapted his chart of PMR severity to reflect hardware and operating system examples.

Version 1.2
Last updated January 2006
Original created April 2004
For questions or comments on this handbook, please email Dawn Patterson.