How To
Summary
How to configure and test call home on V11
Objective
This document explains how to configure the HMC call home tasks. It also shows how to test call home for both the HMC and managed servers.
Preparation and Firewall Rules
The only available connectivity path is Electronic Customer Care (ECC) which uses an outbound Internet TCP connection over https protocol.
The HMC must have a functional Ethernet interface on an open network that has access to the internet. For additional information, refer to Configuring the HMC for Use on a Private and Open Network
The only available connectivity path is Electronic Customer Care (ECC) which uses an outbound Internet TCP connection over https protocol.
The HMC must have a functional Ethernet interface on an open network that has access to the internet. For additional information, refer to Configuring the HMC for Use on a Private and Open Network
The network must allow outbound https remote support/ECC callhome to the IBM servers. For a list of IP addresses, you should refer to the white paper HMC 1060 Connectivity Security White Paper available from IBM Electronic Service Agent
New Call Home Enhancements
Once the setup is complete, take advantage of the new feature to Creating Serviceable Events for HMC V11R1M1110.
Environment
7063-CR2 V11R1M1110
vHMC on x86, or vHMC on Power V11R1M1110
Steps
Configuring call home
These steps show the V11R1M1110 and later steps for setting up call home.
These steps show the V11R1M1110 and later steps for setting up call home.
V11R1M1110 view-
Step 1. Enter customer contact information if not populated or verify customer information if already populated.
1a. In the navigation area, left side, select Call home management > Customer Information
1b. Verify that System Information is set to "Use administrator information" and Administrator Information has all required fields complete or that all required fields for System Information are completed.
Step 2. Configure an outbound remote support method.
2a. In the navigation area, from the Call home management menu, select Outbound Connectivity
2b. On the Call-Home Server Consoles panel click Configure...
2c. On the Outbound Connectivity Settings panel, check Enable the local console as a call-home server. If prompted with an Agreement for Service Programs panel, read the license agreement and click Accept. NOTE: Agreement to the license is required to proceed.
2d. Enable and configure the proxy if required.
2a. In the navigation area, from the Call home management menu, select Outbound Connectivity
2b. On the Call-Home Server Consoles panel click Configure...
2c. On the Outbound Connectivity Settings panel, check Enable the local console as a call-home server. If prompted with an Agreement for Service Programs panel, read the license agreement and click Accept. NOTE: Agreement to the license is required to proceed.
2d. Enable and configure the proxy if required.
NOTE: If the test status returns with a failure, the network in the environment should be investigated and the following verified:
1. Firewall rules to ensure traffic to esupport.ibm.com is allowed with port 443 open for outgoing connection through the firewall and retry.
2. If a proxy is required ensure it is populated for the connection and retry.
3. If the firewall is verified to be open, but the test connection still fails, check if a SSL inspection tool (blue coat proxy) is in use. In this case, the admin of the proxy server will need to provide the SSL certificate of the proxy so it an be added to the HMC truststore using chhmccert and the test connection retried.
V11 HMC provides a new feature to allow the admin to perform an end-to-end test of call home very simply for the HMC itself, any managed system, or all managed systems.
From the left navigation, select Call Home Management, then click the drop down box on the upper-right and select Test call home. Click the drop-down box to make the desired selections of servers, HMC or a combination. Next, click Test.
Note the informational message "Test case take several minutes for each system." While the tests are progressing the screen will not show anything other than a loading indicator going back and forth until all the tests finish.
Once the full test is complete the Test status will be displayed.
For successes the new ticket number will be displayed for failures, the Logs -> Console Event Logs should be viewed or lssvcevents -t console command run for more detailed messages as to why the call home test failed.
The new tickets and reported SRCs can also be viewed from Service Management -> Serviceable Events.
For HMC reported tests the SRC is: B3031100
For system side reported tests the SRC is: B3031007
Now, take advantage of the new feature to Creating Serviceable Events for HMC V11R1M1110.
If the event does not complete in a successful ticket, generate a manual collection of pedbg -c -q3 and open a new support ticket with IBM for investigation.
Additional Information
After setting up call home, another important feature of call home is sending in service data. Navigate on the left menu to Service management, once there review the settings in Schedule service data. By default, heartbeat is always enabled and the rest are also enabled, but may be disabled. You can set any time of day and interval, by default all are 7 days. It is recommended to always have at minimum Hardware service data and heartbeat enabled for 7 days.
Document Location
Worldwide
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Document Information
Modified date:
12 December 2025
UID
ibm17240540