Topology
Ensure that you consider your topology when planning for Electronic Service Agent.
Your topology might consist of stand-alone Electronic Service Agent clients independently connecting to IBM® Support, Electronic Service Agent clients connecting to IBM Support through a common exit point, or HMC managed systems.
Stand-alone client topology
- The Service Agent client gathers the information from end points through SSH and transmits to the IBM Electronic Support Portal.
The information is transmitted to IBM Electronic Support Portal in one of the following ways:
- Through an Internet connection to IBM Electronic Support Portal. Information is protected using existing client firewalls and the IBM firewall.
- Through a proxy. The proxy can be either a client supplied HTTP proxy or the IBM Service and Support Proxy. Information is protected using existing client firewalls and the IBM firewall.
- The information is stored in problem management databases and service information databases and made available to the IBM Support Center and service representative to help them assist you in diagnosing problems
Common exit point topology
The common exit point topology consists of Electronic Service Agent clients connecting through a proxy to the service and support facilities of IBM. The proxy can be either a client supplied HTTP proxy or the IBM Service and Support Proxy. Information is protected using existing client firewalls and the IBM firewall.
- Each Electronic Service Agent client gathers the information from the hosts (AIX, Linux, IVM) for that particular client.
- Each client transmits the information to IBM Electronic Support Portal through the exit point proxy.
- The Electronic Service Agent exit point transmits the information to IBM Electronic Support Portal though the proxy.
- The information is stored in problem management databases and service information databases and made available to the IBM Support Center and service representative to help them assist you in diagnosing problems.
