Edit: Still the only way to go. Many of these links no longer work.
Originally posted May 10, 2016 on AIXchange
If you have IBM maintenance and support contracts on your IBM hardware and software, it’s a straight-forward arrangement. When something breaks, you can open a PMR and get help.
But did you know that different levels of IBM support are available? Two options you might not know of are Enhanced Software Support and Custom Technical Support.
These options are considered upgrades from “standard” IBM support and might be worth looking into for your environment. I have customers that use these services and believe they receive substantial benefits for the extra cost. This stems from IBM being able to provide customized, proactive support as they get to know their unique environments. I’ve seen IBM meet with the customers’ IT staffs via conference calls and online meetings. IBM Support will prepare reports to use in reviewing open and closed PMRs and highlight available fixes that are applicable to their environments.
This datasheet has detailed information:
“But many others prefer to rely on outside services to supplement their in-house staff with the technical expertise they need — while still retaining full control and ownership of their IT infrastructures. And that’s where IBM Software Support Services — custom technical support comes in.
As a CTS client, you are assigned a technical solutions manager who can:
- Act as an extension of your staff with the added advantage of IBM support
- Facilitate appropriate service for you and update your priority support team of your needs.
- Offer custom problem-prevention assistance to help you make more effective maintenance decisions
- Use IBM proprietary state-of-the-art analysis tools that can anticipate problems and work with you to help prevent them
- Provide helpful information on new products, practices and technologies as appropriate.”
One of IBM’s analytical tools is called ProWeb. I recommend you watch this introductory video to learn about it.There is also a technical support appliance that’s designed to help you:
- Streamline IT inventory management by intelligently discovering inventory and support-coverage information for IBM and non-IBM equipment.
- Improve technical support management with analytics-based reports and collaborative services.
- Mitigate costly IT outages via operating system and firmware recommendations for selected platforms.
Go here for details.
Did you already know about these IBM offerings?