About this task
IBM Support Assistant V4.0 is released with a
host of new features and enhancements, making this version the most
comprehensive and flexible yet. Our one-stop-shop solution to research,
analyze and resolve software issues is now better than ever before,
and you can still download it at no charge.
IBM Support
Assistant version 4.0 enhancements include:
- Remote System Troubleshooting: Explore file systems, run
automated data collectors and troubleshooting tools, and view the
system inventory on remote systems.
- Activity-based Workflow: Choose from support-related activities,
or use the Guided Troubleshooter for step-by-step help with analysis
and resolution.
- Case Management: Organize your troubleshooting data in
"cases"; then export and share these cases with other problem analysts
or with IBM Support.
- Improved Flexibility: Add your own search locations, control
updates by hosting your own update site, get the latest product news
and updates.
The IBM Support Assistant V4.0 consists of the following
three distinct entities:
- IBM Support Assistant Workbench
- The IBM Support Assistant Workbench, or simply the
Workbench, is the client-facing application that you can download
and install on your workstation. It enables you to use all the troubleshooting
features of the Support Assistant such as Search, Product Information,
Data Collection, Managing Service Requests, and Guided Troubleshooting.
However, the Workbench can only perform these functions locally, for
example, on the system where it is installed (with the exception of
the Portable Collector).
- If you need to use the IBM Support Assistant features on
remote systems, additionally install the Agent Manager and Agent.
However, if your problem determination needs are purely on the local
system, the Agent and Agent Manager are not required.
- The Workbench has a separate download and this is all that is
required to get started with the Support Assistant.
- IBM Support Assistant Agent
- The IBM Support Assistant Agent, or simply the Agent,
is the piece of software that needs to be installed on EVERY system
that you need to troubleshoot remotely. Once an Agent is installed
on a system, it registers with the Agent Manager and you can use the
Workbench to communicate with the Agent and use features such as remote
system file transfer, data collections and inventory report generation
on the remote machine.
- IBM Support Assistant Agent Manager
- The IBM Support Assistant Agent Manager, or simply
the Agent Manager, needs to be installed only ONCE in your network.
The Agent Manager provides a central location where information on
all available Agents is stored and acts as the certificate authority.
For the remote troubleshooting to work, all Agent and Workbench instances
register with this Agent Manager. Any time a Support Assistant Workbench
needs to perform remote functions, it authenticates with the Agent
Manager and gets a list of the available Agents. After this, the Workbench
can communicate directly with the Agents.
The Agent and Agent Manager can be downloaded
in a combined installer, separate from the Workbench.
IBM Support
Assistant Version 4 has the following functions:
- Search interface and access to the latest product information
- IBM Support Assistant allows you to search multiple
knowledge repositories with one click and gives you quick access to
the latest product information so that you spend less time looking
for the solution and more time building skills and solving problems.
- Troubleshooting tools
- Whether you are new to an IBM product or an advanced user, IBM Support
Assistant can help. You can choose to be guided through your problem
symptoms or view a complete listing of advanced tooling for analyzing
everything from logs to memory dumps.
- Access to local and remote systems
- Using the IBM Support Assistant Workbench installed on
a local workstation running the Windows® or Linux® Intel® operating
system, you can connect to the IBM Support
Assistant Agent installed on a remote system running on the AIX®, Linux, Windows, or Solaris operating system through
the IBM Support Assistant Agent Manager on the Workbench.
This function enables you to explore, transfer data, and run diagnostic
tooling not only on your system but on any other system where the IBM Support
Assistant Agent is installed.
- Automated data gathering and efficient support
- Instead of manually gathering information, you can use IBM Support
Assistant to run automated, symptom-specific data collectors. This
data can then be attached to an IBM Service
Request so that you can get support from the experts at IBM Support.