IBM Support Overview

Tony Prowse November 8, 2021.

[email protected]
Agenda:
1. Introduction

2. IBM Support Process Overview

3. IBM Support General Guidelines and Limitations
4. License Information
5. IBM Support Process Details
6. Support Escalation process

7. Remote Access Software.

8. What are deemed enhancements (i.e. beyond support scope) and how to raise enhancement
requests?

9. How to manage cases where support required spans multiple products?

10. Scope and Limit of Support, and where Professional Services is required.

11. End of Support

12. Where to get software and patches/updates?
13. What are the self-help resources available? 2

14. Other Training and Enablement Resources Available

15. Q&A
2. IBM Support Process Overview:
IBM Software licenses include both Software Support and Software Subscription.
Support – gives all customers the right to open cases with our technical support organisation
Subscription – permits the customer to upgrade or update their licensed software during the period the license covers
Customers can utilise product and support entitlements until the End of Support (EOS) date is reached for the product or
service. Should a customer wish to extend service an additional charge is likely depending on the level of service.
All Support for IBM products is based on a legal entitlement and the entitlements this presentation speaks are documented in
the International Program License Agreement (IPLA), Passport Advantage (PA), IAASM International Agreement for
Acquisition of Software Maintenance (IAASM), International Agreement for Acquisition of Software Subscription
(IAASS). Customers with queries as to what applies to them specifically should consult their purchasing teams or IBM sales
representative. The support teams will not be aware or be able to determine the specific agreements that apply and which are
the legal basis for provision of Support and Subscription and is agreed and signed by all clients.
Support is provided under the agreement remotely – that is, there is no on-site support via the base agreements. The
products that IBM Support provides support for are tied to a specific IBM Customer Number or ICN.
Support cases can only be raised by individuals who are authorised in advance by the licensee of the IBM product. Access is
managed only by the client. Cases can be raised online, telephone and in some situations via chat.
The initial response for a case raised by a customer (or on behalf of a customer) is graded by the client by Severity. There are 4
Severities, 1-4 with the highest being 1.
There are no Service Level Agreements or SLAs for most software excluding some AAS offerings which may have SLAs. (You
must read the specific contracts). If in doubt assume NO SLAS’s apply. Again if in doubt customers should contact their
purchasing teams.
The initial responsiveness goal for a Severity 1 case is 2 hours and for other severities is 2 business hours. Response
Goals are intended to describe IBM's goals only, and do not represent a guarantee of performance.
3

Subsequent responses should be negotiated directly with the assigned engineer.

Engineers are assigned automatically from a global pool.
3. IBM Support General Guidelines and Limitations

If you read no other section of this presentation this is the one that will give a very general overview

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-support-general-guidelines-and-limitations

End of Service considerations

Unless otherwise stated, IBM Support offerings will be valid until the end of service date for their
associated product or service and do not extend the announced end of service date.

Users of IBM Support

Unless otherwise stated, IBM Support offerings are not intended to provide end-user help desk support.
IBM Support offerings supplement client based support staff skills by providing access to IBM
Support’s knowledge base(s) and technical support professionals.

Case limitations
Unless otherwise stated, IBM Support offerings allow an unlimited number of technical support cases.
Each case should be specific to a unique issue in order to maintain clear objectives and timelines.

Client responsibilities
IBM does not warrant that its products are defect free; however, IBM does endeavour to fix its products
to work as designed. It is important to note that clients play a key role in this effort.
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 IBM Support General Guidelines and Limitations
Providing information
IBM Support is available to provide assistance and guidance, and as part of this relationship, clients need to provide
IBM Support information about their systems and details about the failing components in order for IBM to quickly
and accurately resolve the problem. This information includes (but is not limited to):
•capturing documentation at the time of a failure
•applying a trap or trace code to a system
•formatting the output from the trap or trace (if needed)
•sending documentation or trace information (in hardcopy or digital copy) to the remote support center.
IBM Support also uses screen sharing tools (IBM Assist On-site (AOS) and Cisco Webex) to assist in troubleshooting.
While other tools may be available for use, IBM primarily uses these tools to ensure the security of the data
exchange. As a reminder, the information shared should be non-confidential in nature and should not contain
personally-identifiable markers.

Exchanging data
IBM Support professionals may request that problem information or test cases be provided in order to help
troubleshoot. By the terms and conditions set forth in a support agreement, this information will be non-
confidential (for example, not labelled “your company confidential”). Once the information is received, IBM will use
it only for the purposes for which it was provided - that is, to fix defects or to provide support for IBM products or
services. IBM will not disclose it to other parties, except to contractors of IBM who may be used to help resolve
technical issues. IBM will delete, destroy, or return the data when it is no longer required. If the client elects to have
IBM return physical media, the client will be responsible for arranging transport and delivery. IBM will hand off the
media to a client designated carrier from an IBM location, but will have no responsibility or liability for return of the
media. For more information on exchanging diagnostic data with IBM, please refer to the Enhanced Customer Data
Repository (ECuRep) - Terms of use page : https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/enhanced-customer-data-
repository-ecurep-terms-use

5
IBM Support General Guidelines and Limitations
Exchanging data
IBM offers Blue Diamond for US-based healthcare clients and Enhanced Secure Support for clients in
other industries around the world with highly secure data requirements. Blue Diamond and Enhanced
Secure Support provide extra physical, logical, and administrative security controls, over and above IBM
Core Security Practices. For more information about IBM Enhanced Secure Support, refer to the IBM
Enhanced Secure Support Overview document
at: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/system/files/inline-
files/IBM%20Enhanced%20Secure%20Support%20Client%20Overview_0.pdf

Applying fixes
Customers are responsible for obtaining and applying fixes to their systems and testing the fixes to
ensure success. Occasionally, removal of installed fixes may be necessary in the process of isolating
problems. Sometimes fixing a problem will mean the installation of a later release of the software as
some fixes cannot be retrofitted into earlier code. If a client does not have the required skill or are not
positioned to complete the work necessary to resolve the problem, they can engage a services provider
such as IBM Expert Services or a business partner to assist, for an additional fee.

Expectation on product defect resolution

When IBM validates a defect that has been identified by a client, an Authorized Program Analysis Report (APAR)
is created which describes the details of the issue, provides the necessary diagnostic information that is needed
to verify the defect and suggests viable work arounds to the issue when available. 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 from software subscriptions, service packages or in a 6

future release of the product.

IBM Support General Guidelines and Limitations
Local Language
See the IBM Support Guide – product details page for specific language support based on products and
services. IBM Support strives to provide services in local language for most countries.

Response Goals
IBM will use commercially reasonable efforts to respond to cases raised by authorized contacts within the
criteria outlined in the IBM Support Guide. IBM's initial response may result in resolution of the request, or
it will form the basis for determining what additional actions may be required to achieve technical
resolution. Depending on the complexity of the request, the next response may take days. Agreement
between clients and IBM Support professionals is vital to determine what the next action is and when the
next checkpoint will be. Severity 2, 3, and 4 problems reported outside business hours will be responded
to the next business day, unless a 24x7 support option has been purchased if available.

Business Hours
Business hours reflect normal country business hours in each time zone. For example, in North America,
those hours would be Monday through Friday, 8:00A.M. to 5:00P.M., excluding national or statutory
holidays.

IBM Support Center Hours (IBM prime shift business hours)

IBM Support Center hours cover the prevailing business hours in the country where the product is licensed
and/or the contract is registered. Keep this in mind if operations are outsourced to a help desk or firm that
is overseas or working in another time zone.

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IBM Support General Guidelines and Limitations

IBM support for software on unsupported operating systems

IBM will provide support for IBM software, assuming that software is still within its support period. That
support will continue normally until such time that the back-level operating system is identified as a
probable cause of the problem or a contributing factor, at which time you may be asked to recreate the
problem on a supported level of the operating system.

Think 2019 / DOC ID / Month XX, 2019 / © 2019 IBM Corporation 8

4. License Information
The usage of IBM software and terms and conditions of sale are governed by legal
agreements between IBM and the client.

International Program License Agreement

https://www-03.ibm.com/software/sla/sladb.nsf/sla/bla

International Passport Advantage Agreement

https://www.ibm.com/software/passportadvantage/pa_agreements.html?lot=100000

I HAVE PROVIDED SOME EXCERPTS FROM THE ABOVE AGREEMENTS IN THIS

PRESENTATION BUT YOU SHOULD READ EACH OF THE AGREEMENTS THAT APPLY TO
YOUR ORGANISATION IN FULL AND UNDERSTAND BOTH IBM AND CLIENT
RESPONSIBILITIES.

NOTE: THERE ARE OTHER AGREEMENTS THAT MAY APPLY DEPENDING ON WHAT IS
PURCHASED. THIS PRESENTATION DOES NOT COVER ALL. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR IBM SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Think 2019 / DOC ID / Month XX, 2019 / © 2019 IBM Corporation 9

License Information documents. (selected quotes)
Available at: https://www-03.ibm.com/software/sla/sladb.nsf/sla/bla
International Program License Agreement
3.1.2 Updates, Fixes, and Patches When Licensee receives an update, fix, or patch to a Program,
Licensee accepts any additional or different terms that are applicable to such update, fix, or patch
that are specified in its LI. If no additional or different terms are provided, then the update, fix, or
patch is subject solely to this Agreement. If the Program is replaced by an update, Licensee
agrees to promptly discontinue use of the replaced Program.
6. Money-back Guarantee If Licensee is dissatisfied with the Program for any reason and is the
original Licensee, Licensee may terminate the license and obtain a refund of the amount Licensee
paid for the Program, provided that Licensee returns the Program and PoE to the party from whom
Licensee obtained it within 30 days of the date the PoE was issued to Licensee. If the license is for a
fixed term that is subject to renewal, then Licensee may obtain a refund only if the Program and its
PoE are returned within the first 30 days of the initial term. If Licensee downloaded the Program,
Licensee should contact the party from whom Licensee obtained it for instructions on how to obtain
the refund.
8.1 Limited Warranty IBM warrants that the Program, when used in its specified operating environment,
will conform to its specifications. ……..
IBM does not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation of the Program, or that IBM will correct all
Program defects. Licensee is responsible for the results obtained from the use of the Program. ………..
Consult the IBM Software Support Handbook for further information at
www.ibm.com/software/support.
License Information documents. (selected quotes)
https://www.ibm.com/software/passportadvantage/pa_agreements.html?lot=100000
International Passport Advantage Agreement
1.1 Acceptance of Terms The Client Originating Company and thereafter each of its participating
Enterprise companies accept this Agreement by submitting an IBM International Passport
Advantage Enrollment Form to IBM or Client's chosen reseller(s). This Agreement is effective on
the date IBM accepts the initial order under this Agreement ……

1.4 IBM Business Partners and Resellers IBM Business Partners and resellers are independent
from IBM and unilaterally determine their prices and terms. IBM is not responsible for their actions,
omissions, statements, or offerings.

3.8 IBM Software Subscription and Support IBM provides IBM Software Subscription and Support with
each IBM Program licensed under the IPLA.

IBM Software Subscription and Support begins on the date of IBM Program acquisition and ends on
the last day of the corresponding month in the following year, unless the date of acquisition is the first
day of the month, in which case coverage ends on the last day of the month, 12 months from
acquisition.

While IBM Software Subscription and Support is in effect, IBM makes available defect corrections,
restrictions, bypasses, and any new versions, releases, or updates IBM makes generally available.
Once IBM Software Subscription and Support has been allowed to lapse, these benefits will no longer
be available to Client if they had been made available while IBM Software Subscription and Support
was in effect and Client chose not to exercise that right.
License Information documents. (selected quotes)
While IBM Software Subscription and Support is in effect, IBM provides Client assistance for Client's i)
routine, short duration installation and usage (how-to) questions; and ii) code-related questions
(together "Support"). Consult the IBM Software Support Handbook for details at
https://www.ibm.com/software/support/handbook.html. Support for a particular version or release of
an IBM Program is available only until IBM withdraws Support for that IBM Program's version or
release. When Support is withdrawn, Client must upgrade to a supported version or release of the IBM
Program to continue to receive Support. The IBM "Software Support Lifecycle" policy is available at
https://www.ibm.com/software/support/lifecycle.

For selected Program versions or releases, as listed in the IBM Software Support Handbook, after
Support has been withdrawn for such versions or releases and while Client has current Software
Subscription and Support coverage in effect for such Programs, IBM will provide support for Client's i)
routine, short duration installation and usage (how-to) questions; and ii) code-related questions.
However, in such cases, IBM will only provide existing code patches and fixes and will not develop or
provide new patches or fixes for those versions or releases.

If Client elects to continue IBM Software Subscription and Support for an IBM Program at a designated
Client Site, Client must maintain IBM Software Subscription and Support for all uses and installations of
the IBM Program at that Site. If Client requests to renew expiring IBM Software Subscription and
Support at a lesser quantity of IBM Program uses and installations than the expiring quantity, Client
must provide a report that verifies current IBM Program usage and installation, and may be required to
provide other compliance verification information. Client shall not use IBM Software Subscription and
Support benefits for IBM Programs for which Client has not fully paid for IBM Software Subscription and
Support. If Client does, Client must acquire IBM Software Subscription and Support Reinstatement
Think 2019 / DOC ID / Month XX, 2019 / © 2019 IBM Corporation 12
sufficient to cover all such unauthorized use at then current IBM prices.
License Information documents. (selected quotes)
Support for a particular version or release of an IBM Program is available only until IBM withdraws
Support for that IBM Program's version or release. When Support is withdrawn, Client must upgrade
to a supported version or release of the IBM Program to continue to receive Support. The IBM
"Software Support Lifecycle" policy is available at https://www.ibm.com/software/support/lifecycle.

For selected Program versions or releases, as listed in the IBM Software Support Handbook, after
Support has been withdrawn for such versions or releases and while Client has current Software
Subscription and Support coverage in effect for such Programs, IBM will provide support for Client's i)
routine, short duration installation and usage (how-to) questions; and ii) code-related questions.
However, in such cases, IBM will only provide existing code patches and fixes and will not develop or
provide new patches or fixes for those versions or releases.

If Client elects to continue IBM Software Subscription and Support for an IBM Program at a
designated Client Site, Client must maintain IBM Software Subscription and Support for all uses and
installations of the IBM Program at that Site.

If Client requests to renew expiring IBM Software Subscription and Support at a lesser quantity of IBM
Program uses and installations than the expiring quantity, Client must provide a report that verifies
current IBM Program usage and installation, and may be required to provide other compliance
verification information.

Client shall not use IBM Software Subscription and Support benefits for IBM Programs for which Client
has not fully paid for IBM Software Subscription and Support. If Client does, Client must acquire IBM
Software Subscription and Support Reinstatement sufficient to cover all such unauthorized use at 13

then current IBM prices.

License Information documents. (selected quotes)
4. Appliances An Appliance is an EP which is any combination of Program Components, Machine
Components (MCs) and any applicable Machine Code Components offered together as a single
offering and designed for a particular function. Unless otherwise provided, terms that apply to a
Program apply to the Program Component of an Appliance. Client shall not use an Appliance
component independently of the Appliance of which it is a part Each Appliance is manufactured from
parts that may be new or used, and in some cases, an Appliance or its replacement parts may have
been previously installed. Regardless, IBM's warranty terms apply.

For each Appliance, IBM bears the risk of loss or damage up to the time it is delivered to the IBM
designated carrier for shipment to Client or Client's designated location. Thereafter, Client assumes
the risk. Each Appliance will be covered by insurance, arranged and paid for by IBM for Client,
covering the period until it is delivered to Client or Client's designated location. For any loss or
damage, Client must i) report the loss or damage in writing to IBM within 10 business days of delivery,
and ii) follow the claim procedure.

When Client acquires an Appliance directly from IBM, IBM transfers title to a MC to Client or, if
applicable, Client's lessor, upon payment of all the amounts due except in the United States where
title transfers upon shipment. For an upgrade acquired for an Appliance, IBM reserves transfer of title
of the MC until IBM receives payment of all the amounts due and receives all removed parts, which
then become IBM's property.

If IBM is responsible for installation, Client will allow installation within 30 calendar days of shipment
or additional charges may apply. Client will promptly install or allow IBM to install mandatory
engineering changes. Client installs a Client-set-up Appliance according to instructions provided with 14

it.
5. IBM Support Process Details:

15
Business hours are from approximately 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM local
time for the geographic area where the software is licensed.
Severity 1 Issues can be worked by support 7 days a week / 24
hours a day jointly with clients. The client needs to provide 24x7
contact information.
16
APPLICABLE SERVICE LEVEL GUIDELINES (SLGs)

17
Support Case Workflow

OPEN/UPDATE/MONITOR WORKAROUND/NEW
Use the SOLUTION
correct IBM Creates /
Break / Fix focus Delivers fixes
Customer Source Identification
number for Ø Deep Technical Ø Code based
Entitled Skills Ø Workarounds & team
solutions Ø Creates fixes
Products Ø Broad usage - and fix packs
based skills Ø Problem recreation
(based on client Ø Creates debug
1. Support Ø Find known modules
answers experience) Ø Skilled in their
Portal Ø Help collect Must Ø Create APARs components
2. Phone Gather (Defect report) not experts on
3. Chat (Not Ø Educate Clients on Ø Interface to entire product
generally Self Help Development
available
in ASEAN)

* Client must also be available 24 x 7

Ensure complete ** Some products have extended L3 availability
details are
provided on open
IBM Support Process:
TROUBLESHOOTING IS
AN ITERATIVE PROCESS

On initial contact the

support agent may ask
for the problem
statement to be MORE
fully documented,
request specific
diagnostic data be
collected and provided
for analysis and
optionally if considered
effective offer a remote
access session. The
customer should
negotiate timing of any
subsequent contacts. 19
6. Support Escalation Process
If at any point in our service process you feel we are not meeting your needs, you
may call our attention to your case by taking the following action(s):
1. Raise the Severity Level of the case, if applicable.
2. Use the “Escalate” button available in the Support Portal for your case.
3. Contact the Product Duty Manager for the product (see next slide)
4. If further escalation is required, then nominate the case as a Complaint or
Critical Situation ("CritSit") by asking a member of your IBM Client team or IBM
Sales team to do so on your behalf.

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Q. How do Support cases typically work
and what if I feel I need additional
assistance or need to get support
management involved?

Customers should review the case status

before requesting additional assistance.
Cases with a status of 'Waiting on
Client' might not be able to proceed if
new logs or an information request is
required by IBM. If you are unsure how
to proceed, you can update your case to
request additional assistance. If the
status is 'Waiting on IBM', then
Review and analysis
customers can contact the Product Duty is on-going
Manager to get an update on your
existing case. For example if the product
is Websphere ND then ask for the
“Websphere Duty Manager”.
21

A typical case will cycle between IBM

and the user as we investigate and
attempt to determine root cause
Escalating a case using the Case Tool on the IBM Support Portal
Open the case in the
support portal and click
the Escalate button

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6468535

22
You will be presented
with a dialogue box –
You an elect to be
responded to via a case
update, email or via the
phone. So long as you
have registered
correctly the fields will
be populated as per
your current details –
you can edit if needed

Select the escalation

reason from the
dropdown

23
Select the escalation
reason from the
dropdown and then
describe the reason for
the escalation

After submission you

will be advised of a
successful escalation

24
The case is updated and
reflects the escalation.

Note

1. The escalation button is not available immediately. Support targets for initial response of 2 hours
for Severity 1 and 2 Business Hours for Severity 2 must have elapsed.
2. Escalation is available for only Severity 1 and 2 cases.
3. As with all support communications there are no SLAs for a response.
4. Only one escalation is available at a time.
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ESCALATING TO PRODUCT DUTY MANAGER
In this example, as IBM requests information the status will be assigned to
"Waiting on Customer". In most situations there are more changes in status as
information is exchanged between support and the customer. The status may
change while we review logs, work to investigate the issue, and schedule WebEx
sessions.
During this process, a customer has the right at any time to request additional
assistance from IBM Support Management. We refer to this process as requesting
a ”Product Duty Manager". The Product Duty Manager is a 24x7 on-call Product
Support Manager who can assist with any issue you have. Product Duty Managers
are resources intended to help resolve issues between customers and Product
Support and can elevate your issue within the Product Support Team or reassign
workload as required to assist on your case.
Common reasons that customers contact a product duty manager:
Your case is not moving forward appropriately.
The situation has changed in your case or the issue has worsened.
You have a business case that requires immediate attention.

You have an issue with your support representative.

26
To involve a Product Duty Manager in your case within the IBM Support organization:
Be certain to explain the business impact or your problem to the Product Support
representative.
Raise the Severity Level and include a comment on your existing case. and ensure you have
a contact phone number if different than your usual number.
For example, "I am increasing the severity for my case and am requesting additional
assistance. Please contact me with an update at +12-123-4567".
If you continue to have issues or lack of response, you can contact a Product Duty Manager.
To request a Product Duty Manager, call in to IBM Support and inform the support
representative – example if ypur product was Websphere: "I require “Websphere” duty
manager for case #TSxxxxxx. The “Websphere” duty manager can contact me at +12-
123-4567."
The Product Duty Manager will work with our technical staff to ensure your request is being
handled appropriately.
If your issue includes multiple cases, include the relevant information found in My Open
Cases (assumes you manage cases via the IBM Support Portal).
Should your issue still be delayed. Contact the Duty Manager again.

Optional. If you continue to have issues resolving your case, you can contact your IBM Client
Team to provide assistance. The IBM Sales or Client Team can use internal IBM channels to
ensure that your issue is resolved within the IBM Support organization.

27
Phone numbers for IBM Support

Product users or administrators who need to contact support can do so by calling in to an IBM Support
line. Technical support contact numbers for IBM Security Support for your country:
http://ibm.com/planetwide Customers must call into the country of their license Entitlement.

EXAMPLES:
Singapore - http://ibm.com/planetwide/sg Vietnam - http://ibm.com/planetwide/vn

28
7. Remote Access Software Considerations
Question
What do you need to know about working with IBM Support over Webex or conference bridge?
Answer
What support can do during a Webex or other vendor conference bridge?
•Collaborative discussion across teams (DBA, Network team, Windows admin)
•Share findings
•Discussion of next steps after sharing findings
•Periodic checkpoints or recaps, data collection, or action items.
•Clarification of data request or steps

What support cannot do during a Webex?

•Support will not join for no reason. There needs to be a specific task to be accomplished
beforehand.
•Collecting data where the instructions are well documented.
•Analysing data. Support is most effective with data in hand, reviewing it offline. This is generally
the best use of time for both support and the user.
•Basic solution implementation. If a workaround or process is well documented, support is not
required to be on a Webex to implement this. This is the responsibility of the customers
administrator.
•Waiting on progress of an upgrade or rebuild (or other time consuming process) to monitor
when there is nothing that is broken. If something were to happen during the process, update
the case and an engineer will contact you back as soon as possible. 29
Remote Access Software Considerations (Continued)

At IBM Webex is the remote access tool most commonly used so customers should
factor this into their troubleshooting process.

IBM provides support for a select number of product offerings via a number of
associated organisations and some do use remote access products than Webex.

IBM does not dictate what tool the partner uses for conducting a remote session with
the customer in this situation. Some of our support delivery partners have their own
tools approved by their company to use as their standard tool.

Where a customer of IBM support is working on a case and they tell us they are not
permitted to use WebEx or any other similar tool due to their corporate policy we are
permitted to use the customers preferred tool.

In such cases we will ask the customer which tool they use and ask whether they can
start a remote session using their approved tool instead.

Additional Information: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/711857

30
8. What are deemed enhancements (i.e. beyond support scope) and
how to raise enhancement requests?
Product documentation should be reviewed to understand the current features and
functionality of any version of IBM software.

Should you be unsure if a specific feature or functionality is available in a specific release

then a case can be opened to seek assistance. The pre-sales teahnical team are often the
best path to get such answers as this is a focus of their role. Support is focussed on
defects and short term configuration issues and may not have been exposed to any
specific implementation requirement.

Enhancements are generally not worked via support and if an issue is determined to not
be a current feature or not provide the required functionality then the engineer will
indicate that a Request For Enhancement is required and should indicate how and where
to raise the RFE. You can ask that the case remain open until the RFE is raised and an RFE
tracking number is available to add to the case. The case will then be closed.

Once an RFE is raised the Product Offerings team will review. Such reviews are periodic.
Should you need a quicker response then you should work with the sales team.

RFE Community here: https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rfe/

31
9. How to manage cases where support required spans multiple products?

When raising a case for a product that is a component of ”bundle” of software the case must
be raised on the product that is the name on the product description and never on a
component part.
If the issue is related to a 3rd party product not supported by IBM then you will need to work
with the other vendor but you should advise the IBM engineer of this situation when opening a
case.

If you suspect that an issue may be related to integration with another product please ensure
that this is called out when opening the case and seek the advice of the engineer on what he
believes will get a resolution faster.
If not part of a bundle then the best option is to open the case on the product that you believe
there is an issue with but you should explain via an update to the case that the issue may be the
result of integration or similar and that the other product is x, y, z and ask the engineer if another
case should be opened for the other product (s) as well.
Generally an engineer working a particular case that may start with one product but assistance
is then may be required from another product team the engineer will internally work with the
other products team. However if there is a dependence upon resolving one issue before the
other product issue the engineer may ask that a separate case be opened.
32
10. Scope and Limit of Support, and where Professional Services is required.
How technical questions (Q&A) are handled by IBM Support:
• Short duration problems involving
• Installation
• Usage (how-to)
• Specific usage/installation questions for documented functions
• Product compatibility and interoperability questions
• Technical references to publications, such as redbooks or manuals
• Assistance with interpretation of publications
• Providing available configuration samples
• Planning information for software fixes
• IBM database searches

IBM Enterprise Support offerings are not structured to address everything -- the following are examples of areas that
are beyond their scope:
• Analysing performance
• Writing, troubleshooting or customizing code for a client
• Answering extensive configuration questions
• Recovering a database, or data recovery
• Consulting
• Interpretation or triage of customer or third party generated defect scanning reports

Most of these types of situations require some form of Developer Support, Preferred Care or IBM Services offering. For
further information about these services please refer to IBM Support Offerings: http://www.ibm.com/support/offerings
or contact your IBM Representative who can help direct you to resources who can discuss your needs.

33
11. End of Support:

All customers can access product and support entitlements until the End of
Support (EOS) date is reached for the product or service. All clients should make
themselves aware of the End of Support date(s) so they can plan on:
Refer to the IBM Lifecycle: http://www.ibm.com/software/support/lifecycle/ page
for specific product eligibility.
1. Upgrading to the next version - Most upgrades are already included in the
subscription. Review the Get and manage product fixes section to find your
product upgrades that are available.
2. Utilise Continuing Support - Some products are eligible for Continuing
Support which provides the ability to open cases with our support
professionals after the End of Support date is reached, but not to receive new
product fixes (Click to review the Continuing Support policy:
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ibm10740009
3. Purchase Extended Support - If the client can’t upgrade or won’t be able to
upgrade before the End of Support date, IBM may offer Service Extensions to
allow the client to continue to engage with our support professionals and get
product fixes after the End of Support date is reached.
34
12. Where to get software and patches/updates?

Download FULL Software releases: https://www.ibm.com/software/passportadvantage/

This site is only available to the clients PA administrator or authorised PA users. (Support Access is a
different site and different management team usually)
Fixes and patches: https://www-945.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/
An IBM ID is required to access this site and is the same ID that is also used to access the support web-
site.

35
13. What are the self-help resources available?
IBM Support Home has links to all the resources:

Home of IBM product documentation: https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/

Installation and Implementation: https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/

https://www.ibm.com/support/home/

36
14. Other Training and Enablement Resources Available:
Detailed information on what training and enablement resources are available via
the IBM Skills Gateway at: https://www.ibm.com/services/learning/ites.wss/zz-
en?pageType=page&c=a0011023

37
38
SOME MOR
E INFO

39

39
Divested Product Support: HCL Example
IBM announced the closure of the divestment of certain products to HCL. Different
processes may apply for subsequent divestments should they occur.
IBM no longer sells nor supports the products that have been divested.
The Divested Products will still be listed off the IBM Support Portal Product listing. When
a customer chooses a Divested Product from the listing, they are then informed that
support is now provided out of HCL and redirected (through a link) to HCL Support. The
Product Pages of Divested Pages will still be available after July 1, but will be updated to
reflect the Support change with links to HCL Support (see image below).

40
 Software Product Compatibility Reports:
: https://www.ibm.com/software/reports/compatibility/clarity/index.html

41
IBM Security Vulnerability Management (PSIRT):
Details of the IBM approach is here:

https://www.ibm.com/security/secure-engineering/process.html
Subscribing to Security Bulletins and Other Notifications
Most Security Bulletins are accessible via the
IBM Support Portal https://www.ibm.com/support/home/

Subscribe to

My Notifications https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/stay-date-my-notifications
to be alerted of the release or update of a Security Bulletin.
In addition to My Notifications, you can also subscribe to the RSS feed for the IBM
Product Security Incident Response (PSIRT) Blog:
https://www.ibm.com/blogs/psirt/.

42
Support Cheat Sheet
One-page cheat sheet ---------------------à>>

https://ibm.box.com/s/vxi15ejjzslvwbb1n1s68a8c4
hjb5085
To get access to support a client must have an
IBM ID, request access to their companies
support IBM Customer Number and their
companies Administrator must approve it and
1. HOW
then they TO
can CREATE
open andAN IBM ID
manage cases.
https://mediacenter.ibm.com/media/1_jq6xpuam
2. HOW TO ACCESS YOUR COMPANIES
SUPPORT ACCOUNT
https://mediacenter.ibm.com/media/1_l3actx79
3. HOW TO OPEN AND MANAGE CASES
https://mediacenter.ibm.com/media/IBM+Support
+CommunityA+Open+and+manage+cases/1_47u
qs38j
43

43
 Easy as 1, 2 3.

Think 2019 / DOC ID / Month XX, 2019 / © 2019 IBM Corporation 44

Support Access - FAQ
https://www.ibm.com/mysupport/s/faq

Detailed instructions on how to

register are found at:
https://www.ibm.com/mysupport/s/a
rticle/IBM-Support-Community-
registration?language=en_US

ibm.com/software/subscriptionandsupport

45
IBM Software Subscription and Support delivers
innovation, security, support for an increasingly complex & interconnected world

§ IBM delivers software, solutions, services &

support for virtually every need
§ Whether you deploy your software on-
premise, run as services on public, private
and dedicated clouds or connect them
across multiple clouds and your existing IT
infrastructure is entirely up to you
§ For maximum security, IBM Software
Subscription and Support—a comprehensive
upgrade and technical support solution—
helps you protect data, optimize workloads,
improve insights and performance
ibm.com/software/subscriptionandsupport

46
IBM Software Subscription and Support

accelerate innovation—download new and enhanced versions of your

software to make it better, faster, safer, smarter

ensure the highest level of security within your IT enterprise and

beyond—subscribe to security alerts, download fixes, patches and
feature packs to better protect against internal and external threats

Provide your developers and technical teams with anywhere, anytime

access to an AI-enhanced, personalized, end-to-end customer support
experience and the tools they need to predict, diagnose, prevent and
resolve problems quickly

ibm.com/software/subscriptionandsupport 47
“The Next Era of Cognitive IBM Support”

Cognitive support platform & Chatbot

@ IBM Support Community
(available for software and SaaS)

New IBM Support Offerings framework

http://www.ibm.com/support/offerings

New IBM Support Guide

http://www.ibm.com/support/guide

48

48
“The Next Era” continued…
New IBM VIP Rewards
New IBM Support Insider news/blog
http://www.ibm.com/support/insider

Take the latest challenges in the Internal IBM

VIP Rewards Hub and learn more about the • 200 Reward points
program which will officially launch at the end of • Earned via challenges to visit, watch & share IBM
March 2019. Support Insider article
→ Access the internal IBM VIP Rewards hub and
• Redeem for hats, shirts, etc.
earn points for learning more

49
Associated changes to http://ibm.com/support

50