availability. System configuration and inventory information collected by Electronic Service Agent also can be viewed on the secure Electronic Services Web portal and used to improve problem determination and resolution between the customer and the IBM support team. As part of an increased focus to provide even better service to IBM customers, Electronic Service Agent tool configuration and activation comes standard with the system. In support of this effort, a new HMC External Connectivity security white paper has been published, which describes data exchanges between the HMC and the IBM Service Delivery Center (SDC) and the methods and protocols for this exchange. To read the white paper and prepare for Electronic Service Agent installation, go to the Reference Guide section at
http://www.ibm.com/support/electronic
Select your country.
Click on "IBM Electronic Service Agent Connectivity Guide."
Benefits
Increased uptime: Electronic Service Agent is designed to enhance the warranty and maintenance service by providing faster hardware error reporting and uploading system information to IBM Support. This can optimize the time monitoring the symptoms, diagnosing the error, and manually calling IBM Support to open a problem record. And 24 x 7 monitoring and reporting means no more dependency on human intervention or
Security: Electronic Service Agent is secure in monitoring, reporting, and storing the data at IBM. Electronic Service Agent securely transmits via the Internet (HTTPS or VPN) and can be configured to communicate securely through gateways to provide customers a single point of exit from their site. Communication between the customer and IBM only flows one way; activating Service Agent does not enable IBM to call into a customer's system. System inventory information is stored in a secure database, which is protected behind IBM firewalls. The customer's business applications or business data is never transmitted to IBM.
More accurate reporting: Because system information and error logs are automatically uploaded to the IBM Support Center in conjunction with the service request, customers are not required to find and send system information, decreasing the risk of misreported or misdiagnosed errors. Once inside IBM, problem error data is run through a data knowledge management system and knowledge articles are appended to the problem record.
Customized support: Using the IBM ID entered during activation, customers can view system and support information in the "My Systems" and "Premium Search" sections of the Electronic Services Web site.
The Electronic Services Web portal is a single Internet entry point that replaces the multiple entry points traditionally used to access IBM Internet services and support. This Web portal enables you to gain easier access to IBM resources for assistance in resolving technical problems. The newly improved My Systems and Premium Search functions make it even easier for Electronic Service
My Systems provides valuable reports of installed hardware and software using information collected from the systems by IBM Electronic Service Agent. Reports are available for any system associated with the customer's IBM ID. Premium Search combines the function of search and the value of Electronic Service Agent information, providing advanced search of the technical support knowledgebase. Using Premium Search and the Service Agent information that has been collected from the system, customers are able to see search results that apply specifically to their systems.
For more information on how to utilize the power of IBM Electronic Services, visit the following Web site or contact an IBM Systems Services Representative
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