Ungodly support for 3582.

I recently called in on an issue with my 3582.  Evidently IBM figures that 
if you use a fiber optic tape drive, or any external disk drives then your 
pockets must be deeper than the Marianas Trench.  Because you will need a 
separate software supportline contract for that.  And at a cost of $10,000 
plus per year!!!!  I guess this is what happens when you call in on an 
issue where an IBM product (Tivoli), running on an i5, using Suse Linux in 
an LPAR reconfigures the tape drives every time the lpar is IPLed and IBM 
can't figure it out.  Getting a chance to gouge your eyes out (and making 
indentations to other parts of your anatomy) is probably why IBM dropped 
support for i5/os and is only support Linux and AIX on the i5 to run 
Tivoli.  (Thanks to "Uncle Tom" Zollar going over to Tivoli.)

From IBM:

I am following up with the software support call that you made on 07/31/06
concerning your Tape Library. (PMR 25185,550) The IBM system does not show
a valid software supportline contract in place and you may not receive
support the next time IBM is called. This software agreement is what 
allows
you to call in with the question and answer ability concerning how-to,
usage, configuration and interoperability for your Disk/Tape system. The
pricing is fixed, regardless of environment size and will give unlimited
calls for interoperability issues or questions. For a complete up to date
product listing please refer to the web address listed below. I have
attached a sampling of that list. This is different than hardware
maintenance support, that is for break/fix situations and is a separate
contract.

The pricing for the Disk/Tape offering is $10,125.00 annually for Full
Shift 24x7 and $7,500.00 annually for Prime Shift 9x5. The contract is per
location and offers discounting for multi-year contracts. Please review 
the
information and let me know the start date and the shift that would best
meet your needs. I will be happy to send the appropriate documents.

Service Provided:
Voice and interactive electronic support for installation, configuration,
and usage of supported storage and tape devices and related software:
Subsystem Device Driver, Copy Services, ESS Specialist
Configuration of storage devices to the operating system.
Assistance with the installation of firmware/microcode updates for fibre
adapters, fibre switches, etc.
Connectivity issues (fibre channel adapters, supported fibre switches,
hubs/directors, and routers)
SAN fabric configuration (eg switch zoning)
Supported Product list on web: http://www-1.ibm.com/services/sl/products/

Disk/Tape Product List

   1710 DS4000 Storage Expansion Unit
   1710 FastT EXP100 Storage Expansion Unit
   1722 FAStT600 - DS4300 Storage Server
   1724 FastT100 - DS4100 Storage Server
   1740 FastT Express 700-DS4000
   1742 FAStT700
   1742 FAStT900
   1742 DS4500 & DS4400 Storage Server
   1750 DS6800
   1750 EX1 DS6000
   1815 DS4800 Storage Server
   2104 EXP Plus
   2105 Enterprise Storage Server
   2106 Modular Storage Server
   2107 Modular Storage Server

922 & 9A2 DS8300 Storage
92E & 9AE DS8000 Storage

   2107 DS8100 Storage Server
   3494 Tape Library
   3542 FAStT200 Storage Server
   3542 FAStT200 HA Storage Server
   3552 FAStT500 Storage Server
   3560 FASt Express 500
   3570 Tape Subsystem
   3573 TS3100 Tape Library
   3573 TS3200 Tape Library
   3575 Tape Library Dataserver
   3576 TS3310 Tape Library
   3580 Tape Library
   3581 Tape Library
   3582 Ultrium Tape Library
   3583 Ultrium Tape Library
   3584 UltraScalable Tape Library
   3588 TS1030 Tape Drive
   3590 Magstar Tape Subsystem
   3592 Enterprise Tape Drive
   3954 TS7510
   7133 Serial Disk System
   DS300 - 1701
   DS400 - 1700
   TS3500 Tape Library


Thank you for doing business with IBM.

Sincerely,

Megan Stutsman
RTS Inside Sales Specialists
Phone# 1-800-426-1757 ext.3994
Fax# 1-800-262-9806
Email: mstuts@xxxxxxxxxx
www.ibm.com/services/sl/products


Rob Berendt