IBM ProtecTier Implementation and Best Practices Guide

Chapter 1. ProtecTIER basics 15

1.4 Remote support and Call Home

Remote support is available for the TS7650G and the TS7650 Appliance through the Call

Home

capability on the IBM TS3000 System Console (TSSC). The Call Home feature reports

failures detected by the ProtecTIER servers. Whenever a failure is detected, Call Home

sends detailed error information to IBM Service Center (home). The IBM System Service

Representative (SSR) can then prepare an action plan to handle the problem before traveling

to the affected installation. The appliance or gateway might also periodically send support

information (such as configuration, code versions, and error logs) to IBM. Doing so speeds up

the problem determination and fault resolution. When enabled on the appliance and gateway,

Call Home uses a connection on your Ethernet network to transmit hardware and software

problem reports to IBM. Call Home is enabled and tested by IBM System Service

Representatives during initial system installation.

When the Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS) software on the ProtecTIER server

detects an error condition, Call Home sends detailed error information through the TSSC to

IBM. If the error indicates a problem with a field replaceable unit (FRU), an IBM Service

Representative can pre-order the affected unit for optional replacement at the site.

The TS7650G and the TS7650 Appliance provide four Call Home capabilities:

Test Call Home The IBM System Service Representative sends a Test Call

Home signal after enabling the Call Home feature during initial

installation. You can also send a Test Call Home to ensure that

the setup is correct and that the appliance or gateway can

successfully open a Problem Management Record (PMR) in

the IBM Remote Technical Assistance Information Network

(IBM RETAIN®).

Problem Call Home When the RAS software detects a problem, it initiates a Call

Home operation to create a PMR in RETAIN. The PMR is a

single page of text data that enables the Support Center or the

Service Representative to access an action plan and a list of

applicable FRU components.

Heartbeat Call Home To ensure proper ongoing Call Home functionality, the system

sends a Heartbeat Call Home on a regularly scheduled basis.

The heartbeat interval is user-defined.

User-Initiated Call Home You can manually initiate Call Home from the TSSC GUI to

collect a product engineering (PE) package.

The RAS software sends data files that might be helpful to IBM Support Center personnel for

all four types of Call Home. These data files include error logs and configuration information,

such as the Machine Reported Product Data (MRPD) log.

Heartbeat interval: The Heartbeat Call Home can be an interval of once a day, if wanted.

Failed attempts are logged in the system console TSSC and can be monitored by

an administrator.

Important: You must install Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS) software on

the ProtecTIER server before setting up Call Home.

16 IBM ProtecTIER Implementation and Best Practices Guide

The TSSC is a service tool that must be present in an IBM supported TS7650G or TS7650

Appliance. You can either order a TSSC with your appliance or gateway, or use a TSSC

already installed at your site.

1.4.1 How to set up Call Home

In this section, we provide an overview and the necessary steps to configure and test the Call

Home feature and how to find these events in the system console.

To set up Call Home, complete the following steps:

1. Log on to the ProtecTIER Appliance and access the ProtecTIER service menu. The menu

shown in Example 1-1 opens.

Example 1-1 Initial screen of ProtecTIER service menu

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ProtecTIER Service Menu running on tuc1dd5

----------------------------------------------------------------------

1) ProtecTIER Configuration (...)

2) Manage ProtecTIER services (...)

3) Health Monitoring (...)

4) Problem Alerting (...)

5) Version Information (...)

6) Generate a service report

7) Generate a system view

8) Update ProtecTIER code

E) Exit

----------------------------------------------------------------------

>>> Your choice?

2. Select the Problem Alerting option and press Enter. The screen shown in Example 1-2

opens. Select Enable/Disable Call Home.

Example 1-2 Call Home options in ProtecTIER service menu

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ProtecTIER Service Menu running on rasddx

Problem Alerting (...)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

1) Enable/Disable Call Home

2) Send a Test Call Home

3) Configure Call Home Heartbeat frequency

Important: Although it is possible to operate a TS7650G or TS7650 Appliance without a

connected TSSC, IBM does not support this configuration.

All TS3000/TSSC related tasks are IBM support personnel responsibility.

Important: Be sure to complete the Call Home test message process. Failure to verify that

Call Home is working properly on the new system can result in Call Home messages that

fail to send.

You must install Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS) software on the

ProtecTIER server before setting up Call Home.