Re: LPARs and Business partners: Was LPARS - What is there to knowabout them

Having been through two LPAR implementations (just a usual Joe customer) I 
can also agree with Al and Jim.  Fortunately for us we have a BP that does 
a wonderful job in this arena.  As a customer this actually one time that 
the 'Systems Assurance' is a strong necessity.  Besides the certifications 
that Jim mentioned this is also a good time to ask for LPAR references. 
Things to cover:

1.)  Configuration process - as everyone has mentioned this is not quite a 
simple process.  This seems to be a combination of art and science....
2.)  Make sure you get a printout of your LPVT as soon as you have decided 
on your order.  This will show your disks and cards in details and with 
corresponding slots.  Make sure your counts match to what you expected and 
if anything seems strange ask the BP.
3.)  Systems assurance - one of the interesting things in this business is 
the difference between the perspective in the field and the people in the 
back office.  This is the best time to get this out in the open in 
discussion format.  If you are contracting this work with someone from 
your BP you might not get a lot of different opinions but if you aren't 
then it get's interesting.  We have always had our CE assist us in the 
installations and while things always get resolved nicely it can be 
interesting to sit back and listen.

As I mentioned we never had problems because both our BP and CE do great 
work but I can tell that this definitely carries more risk then we are 
used to....


Michael Crump
Saint-Gobain Containers
1509 S. Macedonia Ave.
Muncie, IN  47302
(765)741-7696
(765)741-7012 f
(800)428-8642

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do 
nothing."  Edmond Burke








JOberholtzer@xxxxxxxxxxxx
08/16/2003 07:34 AM
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        Subject:        LPARs and Business partners: Was LPARS - What is there 
to know about them






<snip>
That's why you do business with a BP that totally understands LPAR, and is
prepared to bundle in with the purchase price the services necessary to
make it work.  LPARs are so complicated, that we charge for LPAR configs!
Unfortunately IBM has no LPAR Value Add, as they should.
</snip>

While we do not charge for the LPAR configuration if you buy the equipment
from us, I could not agree with Al more.  The process that a business
partner should follow is to design the system with you, then place the
order.  About the time the machine arrives, a QA meeting is held (supposed
to be required by IBM of all partners) where the installation steps that
have already been planned and discussed, and action plans determined and
assigned. I usually inventory the machine with the CE and move the cards
(and most of the time disk drives)  at that time.  An i810 is a customer
install machine so I would do it for you unless you contract with IBM to
have the CE do it.  Then I build the LPARs.  When I am done, the LPARs are
all at a command line, and ready for the applications. While we do charge
for the LPAR configuration services, we build that in as a line item on 
the
proposal.  If it is missing in any proposal, I would call the business
partner and find out why it is not there.   We of course sell the services
to help with the application as well, and most of our customers will ask
for some level of help.