Utility: IBM Support Assistant V2.0 - A new support tool to improve your productivity
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Abstract
The IBM Support Assistant saves you time searching product, support and educational resources. If a PMR needs to be opened, IBM Support Assistant helps you gather support information, then create and track your electronic problem report.

IBM Support Assistant is a free stand-alone application that you can install on any workstation, then enhance by installing plug-in modules for the IBM products you use.
 
Content
Important Note: This document refers to IBM Support Assistant V2.0 which has been superseded by IBM Support Assistant V3.0. If you are looking for information about pluggable tools that work within IBM Support Assistant, then you will want to look for the 3.0 or 3.1 version of IBM Support Assistant. More information about these versions is available on the official IBM Support Assistant page.
Are you faced with questions about product installation, configuration, or deployment and prefer to investigate and resolve questions without taking the time to call of IBM Support?

The IBM Support Assistant brings many of IBM’s support resources to you in a single application. It runs on the AIX 5.2 and 5.3, Linux (x86) on RedHat Advanced Server 3 and SuSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 9, HP-UX 11, Solaris 8 and 9, and Windows® platforms. The IBM Support Assistant increases your capacity for self-help by making support resources available through IBM client software on your desktop.

How can it help?
The IBM Support Assistant provides the following services to you, the IBM customer:
  • Improves your ability to locate IBM support, development and educational information through a federated search interface (one search – multiple resources).
  • Provides quick access to the IBM Education Assistant and key product education roadmaps.
  • Simplifies access to IBM product home pages, product support pages, as well as product forums or newsgroups, through convenient links.
  • Saves you time submitting problems to IBM Support by collecting key information, then electronically creating a Problem Management Report (PMR) from within IBM Support Assistant.

Is there any training material to show me how to use IBM Support Assistant?
The following resources are available:
  • IBM Education Assistant training modules have been created to show how to install and use IBM Support Assistant.
  • IBM Support Assistant comes with a built-in user guide.
  • The install image that you download includes an HTML Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.

Where do I get it?
  1. Go to the IBM Support Assistant download page to download the installation package for any platform where you will install IBM Support Assistant.
    You will need to login using your IBM web identity (same id as used for My Notifications, developerWorks, etc).
    If you do not already have an IBM web identity, you may complete the free registration process to obtain one.
  2. Download the compressed archive file(s)
  3. Uncompress the archive file in a temporary directory using a tool such as WinZip.
    The archive contains an installer program and the Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.
  4. Follow the directions in the Installation and Troubleshooting Guide to install IBM Support Assistant.

How do I customize IBM Support Assistant for my different IBM software products?
The IBM Support Assistant provides a framework for IBM software products to deliver customized self-help information into the different tools within it. Customize your IBM Support Assistant client by adding product plug-ins which can be found using the following searches:
The WebSphere Application Server V5.0 / V5.1 plug-in is included in the IBM Support Assistant V2.0 download. Find additional plug-ins using the “ Find Plug-ins” feature, located at the top right corner of IBM Support Assistant client. Check often for new plug-ins.

How do I install a product plug-in?
Manually install product plug-ins using the instructions included with the product plug-in download. To view common instructions:
  1. Open IBM Support Assistant.
  2. Select User Guide tab.
  3. Select the "Details" link under the "Find plug-ins" option in the left hand navigation panel.

Alternatively, you can reference the instructions from the "Related information" section below.

What happened to the IBM Support Assistant for WebSphere Application Server V6.0?
The IBM Support Assistant V1.0 is no longer available, beginning with WebSphere Application Server V6.0.2. The administrative console no longer allows downloading the IBM Support Assistant V1.0 plug-in.

Customers are encouraged to use the IBM Support Assistant V2.0 stand-alone product. It provides you with simpler installation and management of product plug-ins.

IBM Support Assistant V2.0 is available from the IBM Support Assistant download page.

Summary
The IBM Support Assistant is part of an IBM Software Group cross-brand (Information Management, Lotus, Rational, Tivoli, WebSphere) initiative to improve customer self-help and to make it easier to find information about IBM products. We want to help you avoid the need for opening a PMR, or save you time resolving your problem if you do need to open a PMR.

Change history
Release date: 7 March 2005
Last updated: 2 January 2008
  • 02 January 2008: Added information about ISA 3.x release
  • 31 October 2005: Added Lotus product plug-in link
  • 26 August 2005:
    • Added version information for supported Operating Systems.
    • Added pointers to training resources including IBM Education Assistant.
  • 03 August 2005: Published V2.0.0.2:
    • Service component fixes (collector and UI),
    • Fixed installation problem for AIX 5.3 ML 1+,
    • Added release notes (readme.txt) to Windows image,
    • Minor UI bug fixes,
    • Enhanced troubleshooting information in release notes.
  • 13 July 2005: Added information about downloading and installation.
  • 11 July 2005:
    • Revised list of queries for available plug-ins.
    • Updated to indicate that V1.0 is no longer available for download.
  • 10 June 2005: Revised list of queries for available plug-ins.
  • 23 May 2005: Published V2.0.0.1:
    • Minor bug fix to collector,
    • License update - license may not be necessary,
    • Added ability to search information centers as a separate category.
  • 11 April 2005: Published IBM Support Assistant V2.0
  • 9 December 2004: Published IBM Support Assistant V1.0
 
Related information
IBM Support Assistant download
IBM Support Assistant product plug-ins
Product plug-in installation instructions
WebSphere Application Server V6.0 product plug-in
 
 
Cross Reference information
Segment Product Component Platform Version Edition
Application Servers WebSphere Application Server PD tools (for example Log Analyzer)
Application Servers Runtimes for Java Technology Java SDK
 
Product Alias/Synonym
IBM Support Assistant
Support Assistant
 
 
 


Document Information


Product categories: Software > Application Servers > Distributed Application & Web Servers > WebSphere Application Server > General
Operating system(s): Windows
Software version: 6.0
Software edition:
Reference #: 1192593
IBM Group: Software Group
Modified date: Apr 12, 2005