Working for IBM, I have access to experts who can advise me how to best use IBM products. Now you have this access too, through IBM's Proven Practices documents.   A Proven Practices document provides rich technical information that is tried, tested, and proven to help you succeed with IBM products in a specific technology environment. It can be about any topic: problem solution or problem preventative. Proven Practice documents are usually written by senior support staff, based on real customer experiences.   To find... [More]

Tags:  product-usage best-practices troubleshooting

Product Lifecycles - A Primer Just like any other product you may encounter in your day to day activities, software has a lifecycle as well. It's almost like a "best before" date. Even though the software still works it's time to move to a newer release.  The IBM Software Support Lifecycle policy explains the details of the length of support and all other information that may come in handy as your customers approach the end of support of any IM product. Some key points in the Lifecycle policy are: Provide a minimum of 5 years... [More]

Tags:  support contract lifecycle eos

Summer - where does it go?!? Apparently, where everyone else goes - on vacation!  I know that everyone has been hanging at the edge of their seat waiting for another "Thoughts from Information Management Support" entry as if it were the next Harry Potter novel or a new iPod release.  Sorry to have kept you on edge for so long.  Fortunately for us all, summer is quickly drawing to a close (though not the heat) and soon we'll have nothing to do but blog (as soon as the pool closes). Stay tuned - more to come.....

Required Reading   OK, we're not going to try to fool you here: IBM solutions can be complex, requiring several pieces of software working together to meet your needs.   Use IBM's System Requirements documents when you are planning, installing, or troubleshooting your software systems to make sure that the appropriate products or components are implemented, and that the correct versions of all co-requisite and pre-requisite software are installed.  This information is created by the product development team and reviewed by the product test and... [More]

Tags:  pre-requisites installation system-setup planning system-requirements co-requisites

Information, Information Everywhere!  Not a drop to drink?  Hardlly!!!   Where do you like to go to get your Information?   Hopefully Information Management Support is already there - Drink UP!!!   Support Portal:  http://www.ibm.com/software/data/support ( Voted a Top 10 Support Site for 2010) Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBM-Information-Management-Support/188871669682? Twitter: http://twitter.com/IBM_IM_Support YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/IBMIMSupport developerWorks: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/data/ THIS blog: ... [More]

Stung by search?  Try an updated IBM.com! Bit by Bing?  Saying Yuck to Yahoo?  Google gotcha down?   Try www.ibm.com - really!  IBM has made extensive changes to the search that you see at the top of most pages on ibm.com.   A search using the "masthead" search will return you results from throughout ALL of ibm.com, so you won't miss a thing .  If you need a more filtered search, there's always the Support Portal. Check it out and let us know how it works for you!

  Help Me Help You!  We hear you and are making it better! When you view one of our online documents, scroll down the page...... keep going...... don't stop...... ........right past the "Copyright and trademark information"............... "Rate this page" - YES, that's the place!    Some of you are kind enough to provide rating these three characteristics: This material provides me with the information I need. This material is clear and easy to understand. Did the information help you to achieve your goal? It is also very... [More]

Tags:  rating document article rate technote feedback comments

In search of knowledge Suppose you're getting ready to install and configure the latest version of an IBM software product. You're gathering all the information you need to complete the project. Planning guide? Check. Installation Guide? Check. Product readme? Check. Release notes? Recommended fixes? Training modules? Hey, that's a lot of stuff to find! Let IBM help you pull it all together in a Knowledge Collection.   A Knowledge Collection is a collection of links to information that shares a common theme, such as a task, topic, or... [More]

Tags:  knowledge-collection self-help

Knowledge - NOW! Watch and learn along as a problem is solved by an IBM Support engineer!  The Knowledge Now collection is a library of short multi-media presentations available via IBM Education Assistant.  The purpose of Knowledge Now modules is to provide quick, targeted assistance on-line for the most common product issues. Knowledge Now modules capture and use the experience and abilities of the engineers who solve technical issues via the phone.  Each module provides a solution to a common problem or issue identified by customers like... [More]

Tags:  knowledgenow iea kn im

Analyze This! Let's continue last week's scenario: your IBM software isn't working as you expected it to, but instead of calling IBM right away, you found an appropriate Collecting Data document.  You've collected the data, but wait--there is still one more step you can take before you pick up that phone.  You can return to the IBM knowledge base and find an Analyzing Data document related to your situation.   Analyzing Data documents explain how to analyze the data captured in the Collecting Data document.  They document the best... [More]

Tags:  analyzing_data troubleshooting self-help problem_determination

The Power of Collecting Your IBM software isn't working as you expected it to, so you're ready to call IBM Support to get the help you need. Before you pick up the phone, search the IBM knowledge base and see if there is a Collecting Data document related to your situation. Collecting data documents (formerly MustGather documents) aid in problem determination and save time resolving problems by explaining what information needs to be gathered before calling IBM. Collecting data documents are an extension of the natural problem-solving... [More]

Tags:  mustgather problem_resolution troubleshooting collecting_data

Get Your Fix   "Fixes" provide changes to your software that address known problems or add new functionality.    Last post, we talked about the various kinds of "Fix" documents: APARs, Fix Pack, Fix Lists, and Recommended Fixes.  In most cases, these documents will lead you to where you can "get your fix".  One of those outlets is Fix Central : http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral    Easy to remember, and, we hope, easy to use to get your download. In Fix Central, you can search, select, order, and... [More]

Tags:  central fixpack version update patch download fix

  First off - time flies when you're having blog!  I turned around to do a weekly update, and it's been a month. Ouch!  Let's try and get together more often! So, what to talk about?  Let's pick up where we left off - the documentation that IBM Information Management support is putting together for you! Let's start with the documents that get the most traffic - "fix" documents.  There are a number of kinds of documents related to "fixes", so let's try and sort some of  them out: APARs Fix Packs Fix Lists Recommended Fixes... [More]

Tags:  list become fix fixes or adapted make recommended pack prepared

The KCS Shift and the Information Shuffle -   is that a new dance? For Information Management Support, it is.    Throughout 2009, a tremendous amount of time and effort went into shifting Information Management Support teams to using a Knowledge-Centered Support, or KCS, model.  I hear you asking "KCS, what does that mean?"  The basic premise:  if information is useful to resolve one problem or question, then it's probably good for other problems or questions as well.  Easy enough?  Well, it's a little more complicated behind the... [More]