WebSphere support

For problem determination to begin on your Problem Management Report (PMR), follow one of the convenient methods below to submit diagnostic information to IBM® Software Technical Support.

• IBM Support Assistant (ISA)
• Electronic Service Request (ESR)
• ServiceLink / IBMLink
• FTP to the Enhanced Customer Data Repository (ECuRep)
• E-mail (available for select products only)

For information about using each of these services, follow these links:

• Collecting and submitting files using ISA and ESR
• Attaching files to a PMR using ESR
• How ServiceLink/IBMLink users should submit files
• Uploading files directly to ECuRep using FTP
• E-mailing files directly to ECuRep (Select products only)

You can also receive files from IBM Technical Support with ECuRep

• Receiving files from IBM Technical Support

Notes:

• Do not submit files until you have opened a problem record (PMR) with the support center.
  If you do not have an open PMR you can:
  • Create one now via ESR or ServiceLink/IBMLink
  • Or call the support center directly.
• You should compress the files to be transferred using the ZIP or TAR format.
• z/OS and MVS customers should use the TRSMAIN program to compress their files. You can also download the TRSMAIN utility from our FTP site.
• For help with ECuRep, see IBM Enhanced Customer Data Repository Service.
• Your files will be deleted seven (7) days after the PMR is closed.

The IBM Support Assistant provides an interface to the Electronic Service Request (ESR) tool so that you can easily send data to ECuRep and update your PMR when the data arrives. The Support Assistant will also simplify opening the PMR.

To save even more time, the Support Assistant features a data collector that automates the collection of data for common problems you might encounter. Once you collect your data, you can then quickly submit the data with only a few clicks.

Customers that are registered and on an authorized caller list can use the ESR tool to submit and manage new or existing Problem Management Records on demand. For more information, see Using the Electronic Service Request tool for managing PMRs

For existing PMRs:

1. Sign onto ESR.
2. On the Welcome page, enter the PMR number in the Enter a report number field and click Go.
3. Scroll down to the Attach Relevant File field.
4. Click Browse to locate the log or trace file that you want to submit to IBM Support.
5. Click Submit to transfer your file to IBM Technical Support through FTP (ECuRep) and associated with this PMR.

For new PMRs:

1. Create one now via ESR and attach your files.

Customers with z/OS products using ServiceLink / IBMLink to submit PMRs should send data to the support team using ECuRep via email or FTP.

• Uploading files directly to ECuRep using FTP
• E-mailing files directly to ECuRep

For most SWG products, the ECuRep FTP site is currently recommended, not the testcase site*. To submit files using FTP, you will need your Branch and Country code associated with the PMR record. Your Branch and Country code is part of the PMR record identifier; also known as the PMR number. See PMR naming convention in step 6.

How to submit files to the FTP server at ftp://ftp.emea.ibm.com/:

1. From a command prompt, TSO, terminal window or FTP client, FTP to the following site:
   ftp ftp.emea.ibm.com or ftp 192.109.81.7
2. Login as anonymous.
3. Enter your e-mail address as the password.
4. You must change to one of the directories listed. Available directories can be viewed using the dir command.
   For example:
   cd /toibm/linux
   cd /toibm/unix
   cd /toibm/mvs
   cd /toibm/windows
5. Enter the following command to enable binary mode for the FTP session:
   binary
6. Use the following file naming convention to name your file and put it on the server.
   Caution: The file must use this format to be associated with the PMR; this is the complete PMR record number. Using any other file name will cause the file to be deleted. The ECuRep Website contains the required information for the file naming syntax that must be used in order for the tool to update the PMR correctly.
   Enter your PMR record information and file type:
   xxxxx.bbb.ccc.yyy.zzz
   Where,
     xxxxx     is the PMR number
     bbb      is the Branch
     ccc       is the Country code
     yyy        is a unique file name
     zzz        is the file type or file extension (ZIP, TAR, TRS, CRY or CRY64)
   Examples:
   12345.055.000.collector01_29_Aug_06.zip
   12345.055.000.collector02_30_Aug_06.zip
   14143.055.724.dump.TRS
   Note: You should compress the file to be transferred using ZIP, TAR or TSRMAIN.
7. Enter the following command to put the file on the server:
   put file_name
   Examples:
   put 12345.055.000.collector01_29_Aug_06.zip
   put 12345.055.000.collector02_30_Aug_06.zip
   put 'DSNAME.TRS' 34143.055.724.dump.TRS
8. Enter the following command to end your FTP session:
   quit

Notes:

• If you have firewall restrictions, you might need to enter the external IP address for the ECuRep FTP server, which is 192.109.81.7, to access the server.
• IBM technical support representatives can provide information back to you through FTP in a different directory. For more details, see Receiving files from IBM Technical Support.
• You can send a file (for example, using the put or mput command), but you cannot update it. So, you will need to create a new file with a unique name. Include your PMR number as part of the file name.
• You must use binary type transfer for binary files and ASCII type transfer for text files. Use the binary or ascii commands before using the put command.
• You cannot receive information from the directories where you put files (get or mget command). The information you submit is only available to the IBM technical support representatives.
• MVS customers can refer to the directions for encrypting your dataset, if necessary and the required file naming conventions

Learn more about Secure FTP

For select IBM products you can attach your diagnostic data to a note and e-mail it to the IBM Enhanced Customer Data Repository (ECuRep) Mail Gateway. If the data you send (outputs, traces, compressed file, etc.) is less than 30 MB, you can e-mail it to IBM Technical Support by performing the following steps:

1. Create an e-mail message addressed to the following e-mail address:
   • Tivoli products: tivoli_support@ecurep.ibm.com
   • Rational products: rational_support@ecurep.ibm.com (Rational customers can also use the E-mail Processing System [EPS])
   • WebSphere products: websphere_support@ecurep.ibm.com
   • z/OS products: cics_support@ecurep.ibm.com or mvs_support@ecurep.ibm.com
2. Your PMR number, separated by commas, must appear somewhere in the Subject line:
   optional_text xxxxx,bbb,ccc optional_text
   Where,
     xxxxx     is the PMR number
     bbb      is the Branch
     ccc       is the Country code
     text       is any other text
   Examples:
   12345,055,000
   12345,055,000 - requested traces
   PMR # 12345,055,000
   PMR # 12345,055,000 - odstat.txt and logs
   PMR 12345 055 000 here are the testcase files
   Note: If you do not already have a PMR number, put the product name in the Subject string.
3. In the body of the message, put a brief description of the problem symptoms and describe the files you have sent in.
4. Attach the files, outputs, information, and/or compressed file to the message.
5. You will receive an automated reply once your e-mail is processed. If your e-mail cannot be associated to an existing PMR, it will be tagged as lost and eventually deleted.
   Note: Depending on your internet connection and e-mail server, allowable attachment file might be significantly less than the 30 MB limit. When in doubt, you can simply use the FTP steps to ensure timely delivery of your files.

Learn more about the ECuRep Mail gateway.

Occasionally IBM Technical Support needs to make files available for customer download. In the event that you need to pull a file from the IBM FTP site, use the following instructions and the exact directory and filename name provided by your IBM support representative:

1. From a command prompt, terminal window, or FTP client, FTP to the following site:
   Note: Now would be a good time to note the current 'pre-ftp' directory, as this will be where your downloaded files will be located.
   ftp ftp.emea.ibm.com
2. Login as anonymous.
3. Enter your e-mail address as the password.
4. Change your directory to the /fromibm directory by entering the following command:
   cd fromibm
5. To retrieve your file(s), change your directory to the directory specified by your Support Representative by entering the following command:
   cd <directory>
   Note: For a list of available directories, type the dir command.
6. Enter the following command to enable binary mode for the FTP session:
   binary
7. Enter the following command to download the data from the server:
   get file.name
8. Enter the following command to end your FTP session:
   quit

* Each IBM Software product may optimize their process for exchanging data in order to save you time. When submitting data to IBM Support, please check for a product-specific version of this document on the product Support page.