Something "Way Cool" from IBM (at least for support folks/Sys Admins).. -- MIDRANGE-L

Hi Folks,

As I set here PRAYING that our data migration from 9337's (don't laugh)
to 6907 4gb disk units goes SMOOTHLY (we had TWO 9337's die RIGHT before
we started this; 1 9337-220 drive and 1 9337-440 drive...) I thought I
would share something I ran across this past week.

Some/many of you may already have seen this, but for those that haven't,
here goes.

IF you have Support Line, you have been calling IBM over the years with
different issues. I have ALWAYS found them to be VERY helpful and
informative but unless you TRY to write EVERYTHING they tell you down,
it is hard to retain this information.

No more...

I hit IBM's service web site
http://as400service.ibm.com/as400/supportarea.html and noticed an
"Accessing protected links" tag. Off course that was one of the first
places I headed and I got a screen saying that I could register to
access protected links. I did so and latter that same day I got an
e-mail back telling me my password.

I headed right back and got to the "Ask Question or Report Problem"
screen.

>From this screen I am able to query IBM's PMR database (this is the
database containing the record of any call you make to Technical Support
via Support Line) for calls placed by my company. I  can "Create a New
Item" or "Read & Update Existing Items"  !!!

What is REALLY neat about this, is you get the full details of the
problem resolution. A good example is one we had the other day. We were
trying to get an NT notebook to hit our AS/400 via TCP/IP and were
having trouble. Our person calling in the problem was more a PC person
than an AS/400 person. They were given a LOT of information of different
things to try. The main one was for me to issues the start host servers
*All command. I looked at this PMR online and was AMAZED at all of the
information. We are new to TCP/IP and there were all kinds of commands
mentioned to check various things, etc. We can "cut and paste" this
information into our own Help System data base and not loose anything !!

An example follows:

------------------------------------------------------98/03/11-11:45--CR

****** Client Access Format Insert ******
Client        :                                       CA400WINOPT
PC Operating System:                       Windows NT (CAWINNT) SP#3
Connection Provider:                         TCP/IP
Link Type:                                        TCPIP LAN
Novell Coexist? Win 3.1, 3.11, Ex      NONE
WAN involved?                                None
PC Client Access VRM Level:          R312
PC Client Access SP Level:              None
PC Make, Model and RAM MB:       Did Not Ask Customer
PC Adapter Make/Model:                 Did Not Ask Customer
AS/400 Client Access VRM Level:   R312
AS/400 Client Access SP Level:       Did Not Ask Customer
OS/400 CUME/VRM Level:             R410
Internet Explorer Version:                 Not Installed
***** ##Client Access## ******
.
CUSTOMER REP: John Doe (this NORMALLY contains the name of the person
calling)
PROBLEM: Cannot get a TCP connection in NT 4.0.
.
ACTION TAKEN:  I asked if he could ping the AS/400? YES. I had him first

  go an set CWBRDR to started automatic, because he has no SP loaded.
  Next we tried the CWBPING command and it failed with Pinging Server
  Port Mapper Failed. Had him run the WRLTCPSTS *CNN command and no host

  server daemons are up. Had him try and start them but he has no access

  to the command. Told him it was best to be QSECOFR or have that
  authority. He will have to get his ADMIN to do this. I told him to run

  the STRHOSTSVR *ALL, then run the WRKTCPSTS *CNN command again. Should

  see AS-SVRMAP, etc...  Then run the CWBPING command again. If they
  come back successful, then they should be able to connect.
.
ACTION PLAN: He will get with his Admin and try these. Will send to
  CS1W04 for follow up.
.
DISP: RQ CS1W04 Delay 2 hrs.

This is just one example. Obviously information and details will vary.

--
Chuck


    _/_/_/_/   _/      _/   _/      _/   _/_/_/_/   _/      _/
   _/            _/      _/   _/      _/   _/            _/     _/
  _/            _/_/_/_/   _/      _/   _/
_/_/_/                Chuck Lewis
 _/            _/      _/   _/      _/   _/            _/    _/
CLEWIS@IQUEST.NET
_/_/_/_/   _/      _/   _/_/_/_/   _/_/_/_/   _/       _/
Indianapolis, IN

"The opinions that are shown, are exclusively my own. All my own, all my
own..." and NOT my employer's (with apologies to Emerson, Lake and
Palmer)...


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