Using IBM Support Assistant

The IBM® Support Assistant is a free, standalone application that you can install on any workstation. You can then enhance the application by installing product-specific plug-in modules for the IBM products you use.

Before you begin

The IBM Support Assistant saves you time searching product, support, and educational resources. It also helps you gather support information when you need to open a problem management record (PMR), which you can then use to track the problem.

The product-specific plug-in modules provide the following resources:

  • Support links
  • Education links
  • Ability to submit problem management reports

For more information, see the IBM Support Assistant Web site at http://www.ibm.com/software/support/isa.

About this task

Install and set up the IBM Support Assistant as follows:

Procedure

  1. Download the IBM Support Assistant installation software from http://www.ibm.com/software/support/isa.
  2. Unzip or untar the downloaded file.
  3. Run the installation file and respond to the prompts from the installer.
  4. Launch the IBM Support Assistant. For example, on Windows XP click IBM Support Assistant in the following menu path: Start > All Programs > IBM Support Assistant. The Welcome page is displayed.
  5. Select the Updater hyperlink to access the Updater page.
  6. Access the Upgrades tab and the IBM Support Assistant tab to select the product-specific plug-in modules that you want to install.

What to do next

If you cannot find the solution to your problem in the IBM Support Assistant, you can also check the following Internet resources for information that might help you resolve your problem:
  • Forums and news groups
  • Google.com