How your system manages problems

Learn how your system can provide functions for problem logging and tracking, reporting, analysis, and correction.

Your system provides functions for problem logging and tracking, problem reporting, problem analysis, and problem correction. The problem management process helps you and your service provider quickly and accurately manage problems as they occur on the system.
Note: In this topic, control panel and operator panel are synonymous.

Here is an example of the flow when managing a problem:

  1. The server or operating system detects an error.
  2. A problem record is created with configuration information, a reference code, the name of the reporting device, and other information.
  3. The error is recorded.
  4. One or more of the following events will occur:
    • An error notification is sent to the system console. Possible consoles include the following:
      • Hardware Management Console (HMC)
      • Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI)
      • Integrated Virtualization Manager
      • Operations Console
      • Twinaxial console
      • ASCII terminal
    • If you configured the e-mail notification option, an e-mail notification is sent to a designated user. You can enable e-mail notification by using the Electronic Service Agent™ on the HMC. For more details, see Electronic Service Agent .
    • The system attention light comes on.
    • A reference code might be displayed on the control panel or on the HMC.
    • If you are using an HMC, a serviceable event is shown in the Service Focal Point application on the HMC.
  5. After there is a message or reference code available, you can use that information to begin problem analysis. For details, see Beginning problem analysis.

The results of problem analysis are automatically stored, along with the data that was collected. At this point, you can manually report the problem to your hardware service provider, or you can configure your server, HMC, or other console for electronic problem reporting. To learn how to set up your service environment for electronic problem reporting, see Setting up your server to connect to service and support.

Various tools are available to help you manage the problems on your server. See the following information to help you troubleshoot problems on the server: