IBM Power Support - Response Times

IBM Power Support - Response Times

IBM Power Hardware and Software Support Services provide around-the-clock integrated hardware and software services backed by our global support infrastructure, product expertise and proprietary analytics tools.

Support for our IBM Power products includes:

  1. IBM Expert Care - integrates and prepackages hardware and software support services into a tiered support model, helping organizations to choose the right fit of services – including the number of years of support, response times from initial contact to fix and potential to include proactive care
  2. Software Maintenance – preventive care from product fixes, security patches, and updates; aggressive problem resolution via direct access to our deeply skilled, industry leading technical support professionals
  3. Hardware Warranty and Maintenance – provide remote technical support for problem determination and problem source identification. Access to product fixes and updates. Onsite technical resources, if necessary, for hardware defect resolution and part replacement where applicable.
  4. Hardware / Software Service Extension - provides skilled technicians to minimize business disruptions with covered repair parts and support for known defects, freeing in-house IT staff to focus on business-critical activities. 

Enhanced response times, proactive and preventative support options are accessible either through the IBM Expert Care Premium tier, or Proactive Support offerings. It adds expedited critical support response time and an assigned remote technical account manager. 

Find out more about IBM Expert Care tiers and the optional add-on offerings clients can choose from for IBM Power.


IBM Expert Care

IBM Power Expert Care
The full list of machine maintenance deliverables for Expert Care is defined in the SOW / Agreement:
Applicable for all eligible Expert Care machines from family : P10 and P11
Power Expert Care PremiumWarranty Service Upgrade and/or Machine maintenance, 24x7

1. Initial contact target response time objective:
    a) Severity 1 and 2 - 30 min
    b) Severity 3 and 4 - 4 hours
2. If onsite is still required after remote support, onsite target objective is:
    a) Severity 1 and 2 - 4 hours
    b) Severity 3 and 4 - a scheduled call upon mutual agreement

3. Clients in eligible locations may have the option to add Committed Fix times at an additional cost for Severity 1 and 2.*

Software maintenance (SWMA)
Enhanced Software Maintenance (SWMA) response.  Initial contact target response time objective:
    a)  Severity 1 and 2 - 30 min
    b)  Severity 3 and 4 - 2 business hours

Power Expert Care Advanced

 

Warranty Service Upgrade and/or Machine maintenance, 24x7

1. Initial contact target response time objective:
    a) Severity 1 and 2 - 2 hours
    b) Severity 3 and 4 - 4 hours
2. If onsite is still required after remote support, onsite target objective is:
    a) Severity 1 - Same Day
    b) Severity 2 - Next Day
    c) Severity 3 and 4 - a scheduled call upon mutual agreement

3. Clients in eligible locations may have the option to add Committed Fix times at an additional cost for Severity 1 and 2.*

Software maintenance (SWMA)As defined in Software Support options section below.
Power Expert Care Advanced - HealthCare Solution Edition (US/CA only)Warranty Service Upgrade and/or Machine maintenance, 24x7
1. Initial contact target response time objective:
    a) Severity 1 and 2 - 1 hour
    b) Severity 3 and 4 - 4 hours
2. If onsite is still required after remote support, onsite target objective is:
    a) Severity 1 - Same Day
    b) Severity 2 - Next Day
    c) Severity 3 and 4 - a scheduled call upon mutual agreement
3. Clients in eligible locations may have the option to add Committed Fix times at an additional cost for Severity 1 and 2.*
Software maintenance (SWMA)Enhanced Software Maintenance (SWMA) response. Initial contact target response time objective:
    a)  Sev 1 - 1 hour
    b)  Sev 2, 3 and 4 - As defined in Software Support options section below.
Power Expert Care BasicWarranty Service Upgrade and/or Machine maintenance, 24x71. Initial contact target response time objective for all severity levels is 4 hours
2. If onsite is still required after remote support, onsite target objective is:
    a) Severity 1 and 2 - Next Business Day
    b) Severity 3 and 4 - a scheduled call upon mutual agreement
 Software maintenance (SWMA)As defined in Software Support options section below.
Figure 1

FIGURE 1

* Committed Maintenance Service Levels can be added for Committed Fix Times for Severity 1 and 2 are available for eligible products and locations as follows:

  • 6 hours
  • 8 hours
  • 12 hours
  • 24 hours
  • 48 hours
  • 72 hours

Please contact your IBM representative for more information on your eligibility for CMSL.

IBM Expert Care Remote Support and Parts for non IBM presence countries only

IBM Expert Care Remote Support and Parts is a modular approach that extends coverage to countries with no physical IBM presence through Business Partners (BP) (Distributor, Reseller, or System Integrator) to choose the duration, service response times, and options that are most important to support their IBM Systems. IBM Expert Care Remote Support and Parts may have up to three options to choose from, depending on the system – Basic, Advanced, and Premium. This enables the Business Partner (BP) (Distributor, Reseller, or System Integrator) to select the appropriate support option that best meets the needs of the business.


IBM Expert Care Remote Support and Parts

Machine maintenance deliverables for Expert Care defined in the SOW

Applicable for all eligible Expert Care machines for the selected countries

Expert Care Remote Support and Parts BasicRemote Technical Support 9x5Initial contact target response time objective for all severities is 4 hours.
 
Software maintenance (SWMA) / Support LineAs defined in Software Support options section below.
Expert Care Remote Support and Parts AdvancedRemote Technical Support 24x7Initial contact target response time objective:
    a) Sev 1 and 2 - 2 hours
    b) Sev 3 and 4 - 4 hours
Software maintenance (SWMA) / Support LineAs defined in Software Support options section below.
Expert Care Remote Support and Parts PremiumRemote Technical Support 24x7Initial contact target response time objective:
    a) Sev 1 and 2 - 30 min
    b) Sev 3 and 4 - 4 hours
Software maintenance (SWMA) / Support Line
Enhanced Software Maintenance (SWMA) / Support Line response. Initial contact target response time objective:
    a)  Sev 1 and 2 - 30 min
    b)  Sev 3 and 4 - 2 business hours

Learn more about the support offerings provided by Technology Lifecycle Services. Contact your IBM Seller for pricing details.

Legacy Hardware Support

Support options for systems prior to Power 10.
 Support optionsHardware Support Goals
IBM response objectives are product and service level dependent  
 
  • Next business day, 9x5
OR
  • Same day, 24x7
  • Warranty Service Upgrades (WSU))
Upgrades are available for
 
  • 9 x 5 response --> 24 x 7 response
  • Clients in eligible locations may have the option to add Committed Fix times at an additional cost for Severity 1 and 2.*
Upgrades are available for
 
  • 9 x 5 response --> 24 x 7 response
  • Clients in eligible locations may have the option to add Committed Fix times at an additional cost for Severity 1 and 2.*

Learn more about the support offerings provided by Technology Lifecycle Services. Contact your IBM Seller for pricing details.

* See Figure 1 above for  Committed Maintenance Service Levels 

Proactive Support Offerings

Response times applicable for systems prior to Power10.

Full list of machine maintenance deliverables for Proactive Support are defined in the SOW / Agreement.

In addition to the upgrades above, SWMA can be augmented through Proactive Support:

 
Proactive support optionsCase Severity Response Goals †
  • Proactive Support
  • Severity 1: 30 min (24x7)
  • Severity 2 / 3 / 4: 2 business hours
  • For regional response goals, consult SOW
  • Clients in eligible locations may have the option to add committed fix times at an additional cost for Severity 1 and 2.*

† Review the Severity Descriptions guidelines for business impact associated to each severity level. Response Goals are intended to describe IBM's goals only and do not represent a guarantee of performance. Contact your IBM seller for pricing details.

* See Figure 1 above for  Committed Maintenance Service Levels 

 

Software Support

 
Support optionsCase Severity Response Goals †
  • Software Maintenance (SWMA)
  • Severity 1: 2 hours (24x7)
  • Severity 2: 2 business hours
  • Severity 3: 2 business hours
  • Severity 4: 2 business hours

 

 

Hardware and infrastructure software - transition to Extended Support

Clients can transition from standard support to extended support by requesting a Hardware or Software Service Extension. Hardware Service Extension provides technicians to minimize business disruptions with covered repair parts and support for known defects, freeing in-house IT staff to focus on business-critical activities. To explore the availability and terms of Service Extensions, contact your IBM representative.

Additional references:

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