IBM Support

IBM Power: IBM Remote Technical Support (RTS) Billable Services for (applies to AIX, PowerHA (System Mirror), PowerVC, PowerVM, HMC) (requires a US based Support Contract)

Question & Answer


Question

This purpose of this document is to explain how the IBM Remote Technical Support (RTS) Billable Support process can help clients receive hands on assistance with short duration activities that are beyond the scope of standard IBM Support.

    IMPORTANT NOTE 

Currently, the IBM RTS Billable Support process is only available to US based Support Contracts.

In order to better understand how the IBM RTS Billable Support process can help your business, first review these two online documents about the IBM Support process:

Answer

IBM understands that our clients experience situations when they need hands on assistance to perform short duration activities, need help now, and without the complexities of more formal and long term service contracts.  The IBM RTS Billable Support process is available to give clients the option to work with the IBM RTS Support teams on these short duration ( and fee based) services using the same process used to provide IBM support.

For complex, long duration, and infrastructure wide assistance, clients will continue to be referred to IBM Expert Labs, IBM Consulting, or IBM Project Based Services.

IBM RTS Billable Support is available to IBM clients who have active (in-service) Hardware and Software maintenance (support) [US based] contracts and have in-service hardware and software levels.

A. Terms and conditions for the IBM RTS Billable Support process include:

  • IBM Support technical owner may determine that a request made in a support case is the beyond scope for standard IBM Support maintenance contracts and will recommend this as an option.
  • Is available for short duration activities (e.g., between 2 and 6 hours).
  • May be offered when the desired level of technical staff is available.
  • This availability of this service may be limited, or may not available, on weekends and holidays and during specific time zones.  
  • Before services are performed, all terms and conditions, time to perform the services, and payment details for the requested services must be approved and completed by both the IBM client and the IBM Contracts Team.
  • If a known or new defect is identified during the billable activity, a separate (non-billable and standard) support case will be opened and used to track that issue, and work will continue for this billable activity.

B. Steps how the IBM RTS Billable Process works:

  • Step 1.  IBM Support will discuss the beyond scope and billable activity with the client. This includes the scope of work and estimated hours to perform the work.  The details will be posted in the current support case.
  • Step 2. The client needs to provide a written update in the support case to accept or not accept the billable services.
  • Step 3. When the billable services are not accepted, clients will be referred to IBM Expert Labs, IBM Consulting, or IBM Project Based Services to continue the beyond scope activity.
  • Step 4. When the billable services are accepted, a new case will be created and updated with a more detailed scope of work and the time estimate.  This case will be sent for processing and payment.
  • Step 5. If the payment can not be secured, clients will be referred to IBM Expert Labs, IBM Consulting, or IBM Project Based Services to continue the beyond scope activity.
  • Step 6. Once the processing and payment is complete, the case will be reassigned to the technical owner, who will contact the client to schedule and perform the request activities.
  • Step 7. The billable activity will be considered complete upon the end of the pre-approved # of hours.  Additional time can be requested, but is not guaranteed and is based on the availability of the technical owner assigned to the activity.  After hours will result in additional costs.

During the billable service activity, the technical owner may contact additional technical resources or management to assist with the activities.  

C. References:

IBM Power: What to expect when requesting or needing IBM Services assistance while working with IBM Support
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7029780
 

IBM Power Software (AIX, Virtual HMC, IBM i, PowerHA, PowerVM):
Why clients should keep their application, operating system, and firmware components updated to current release levels
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6595041

[{"Line of Business":{"code":"LOB57","label":"Power"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU058","label":"IBM Infrastructure w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SSPHKW","label":"PowerVM Virtual I\/O Server"},"ARM Category":[{"code":"a8m50000000L0MTAA0","label":"PowerVM VIOS-\u003EGeneral VIOS Resources"}],"ARM Case Number":"","Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"All Version(s)"},{"Type":"MASTER","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB08","label":"Cognitive Systems"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU058","label":"IBM Infrastructure w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SWG10","label":"AIX"},"ARM Category":[{"code":"a8m0z0000001fMuAAI","label":"General Support(Admin)"}],"ARM Case Number":"","Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"5.3.0;6.1.0;7.1.0;7.2.0;7.3.0"},{"Type":"MASTER","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB08","label":"Cognitive Systems"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SSPHQG","label":"PowerHA SystemMirror for AIX"},"ARM Category":[{"code":"a8m3p000000hAumAAE","label":"PowerHA SystemMirror"}],"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"7.1.0;7.1.1;7.1.2;7.1.3;7.2.0;7.2.1;7.2.10;7.2.2;7.2.3;7.2.4;7.2.5;7.2.6;7.2.7;7.2.8;7.2.9"}]

Document Information

Modified date:
13 March 2026

UID

ibm17263341

Page Feedback