Searching the IBM database for similar problems, and solutions

IBM® maintains a database of known problems, and solutions to some of those problems. Use this topic to understand how best to search the database.

IBM keeps records of all known problems with its licensed programs on its software support database ( RETAIN ). IBM support center staff continually update this database as new problems are found, and they regularly search the database to see if problems they are told about are already known.

If you have access to one of the IBM search tools such as INFORMATION/ACCESS OR INFORMATION/SYSTEM you can look on the RETAIN database yourself. If not, you can contact the IBM support center to perform the search for you.

You can search the database using a string of keywords to see if a similar problem already exists. This section explains how to search the database using keywords.

You can use the keyword string (also called the symptom string) that appears in a dump or SYS1.LOGREC record to search the database, or you can build your own keyword string from the procedure described in Building a keyword string . Before you use the procedures in this section, make some initial checks by searching through the following appropriate product documentation section specific to your platform:

• Making initial checks on UNIX, Linux, and Windows
• Making initial checks on IBM i
• Making initial checks on z/OS

If the search is successful, you find a similar problem description and, usually, a fix. If the search is unsuccessful, you should use these keywords when contacting IBM for additional assistance, or when documenting a possible authorized program analysis report (APAR).