Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
2. If you eport a sev1 problem you have to treat it as sev1 (until it gets lowered). That includes working on the problem in the middle of the night if that's when IBM comes up with something. Agreed. Sev1 gets IBMers out of bed if needed. I had a Sev1 once that got passed from US support to a support site in Australia, and back again. And, yes, they expect you (the customer) to make people available to work on the problem until it is resolved. To be honest, raising the sev of existing problems just to complain about IBMLINK sounds sophomoric and petty to me -- Bruce A. Black Senior Software Developer for FDR Innovation Data Processing 973-890-7300 personal: [EMAIL PROTECTED] sales info: [EMAIL PROTECTED] tech support: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.innovationdp.fdr.com -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
On Wed, 15 Nov 2006 12:47:41 -0500, Bruce Black [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: .. To be honest, raising the sev of existing problems just to complain about IBMLINK sounds sophomoric and petty to me Something petty and sophmoric voiced here? Now, *there's* a first. :-) Pat O'Keefe -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
Suppose that for every time one needs to open an ETR, and IBMLINK is down, that you were to call the 800 number and make your problem a SEV1. Now further suppose that all IBM customers were to do this. How long would it take before the pain would be felt high enough that this would get fixed - permanently? This is only an idea for discussion, not to actually implement (at least at this time). Regards, Steve Thompson -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
Ah, peaceful resistance. Daniel McLaughlin Z-Series Systems Programmer Crawford Company 4680 N. Royal Atlanta Tucker GA 30084 phone: 770-621-3256 fax: 770-621-3237 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.crawfordandcompany.com This transmission is intended exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. This communication may contain information that is confidential, proprietary, privileged or otherwise exempt from disclosure. If you are not the named addressee, you are NOT authorized to read, print, retain, copy or disseminate this communication, its attachments or any part of them. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this communication from all computers. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
-Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List On Behalf Of Thompson, Steve (SCI TW) Suppose that for every time one needs to open an ETR, and IBMLINK is down, that you were to call the 800 number and make your problem a SEV1. Now further suppose that all IBM customers were to do this. Hmmm SEV2 should be sufficient, unless your own ETR needs to be SEV1 (in which case it would probably be faster to phone it in in the first place). A sufficient quantity and frequency of SEV2s should be enough to get attention. -jc- -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
In a message dated 11/14/2006 11:14:47 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: SEV1 (in which case it would probably be faster to phone it in in the first place). A sufficient quantity and frequency of SEV2s should be enough to get attention. Jazbut, why? Either they're running without SLAs or nobody's looking at them. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
On Tue, 2006-11-14 at 12:00 -0500, Thompson, Steve (SCI TW) wrote: Suppose that for every time one needs to open an ETR, and IBMLINK is down, that you were to call the 800 number and make your problem a SEV1. Now further suppose that all IBM customers were to do this. I purely hate having to lie about problem severity in order to get attention. I had an issue at Sun/STK just last week, and contacted what IBM might have called the duty manager with a complaint. She offered to mark my problem as a sev-1. I refused, saying that sev-1 meant down, and that I didn't care to pervert the system. Guess that either makes me a nice guy or a chump; I'm not sure which. I will admit to having played the game a few years ago, when I was forced to artificially escalate a sev-3 to sev-2. At the time TCPIP sev-3s might just as well have been dropped into a black hole. You try to set severity levels responsibly, and triage yourself into the support queue in a socially conscious way. Then you question the wisdom of same when a support mechanism ravaged by budget cuts ignores you. Anybody else remember when level-1 used to transfer you directly to level-2? Been a long time since THAT happened to me. (Thank you for calling Davesoft... all Daves are busy at the moment, but your call is very important to us... though perhaps not enough to adequately staff our call center... please hold on the line, and the first available Dave will take your call in the order in which it was received...) Excuse my rant, and the thread hijack. I feel better now, thanks. -- David Andrews A. Duda and Sons, Inc. [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
On Tuesday, 11/14/2006 at 12:00 EST, Thompson, Steve (SCI TW) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Suppose that for every time one needs to open an ETR, and IBMLINK is down, that you were to call the 800 number and make your problem a SEV1. Now further suppose that all IBM customers were to do this. How long would it take before the pain would be felt high enough that this would get fixed - permanently? This is only an idea for discussion, not to actually implement (at least at this time). As a discussion point, I'm not sure how reporting your Sev3, say, problem as Sev1 would do anything to get IBMLink up and running. The developers who get out of bed to deal with your Sev1 have no control or awareness of IBMLink, and the Support Center will handle the calls as usual. If you can open a PMR against IBMLink when it is down, do so (I have no idea if you can), or, if you think you are aren't getting sufficient value from the service because of downtime, then use the Feedback (when it finally comes back up). And no service is permanently fixed. I suppose that, like RETAIN itself, the IBMLink infrastructure could be beefed up to provide more failover, but that would simply raise the cost (and price!) of the service. [And, of course, reporting here that IBMLink is down will do nothing to get it fixed, either, assuming they don't already know the service is down.] Alan Altmark z/VM Development IBM Endicott -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
If you can open a PMR against IBMLink when it is down, do so (I have no idea if you can), You can, by calling the IBMLINK support line. The problem is that the support line number appears when you are signed on to IBMLINK. When it was down a few weeks ago, I spent 5 minutes trying to find the number externally. Finally found it -- Bruce A. Black Senior Software Developer for FDR Innovation Data Processing 973-890-7300 personal: [EMAIL PROTECTED] sales info: [EMAIL PROTECTED] tech support: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.innovationdp.fdr.com -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
responsing to alan's company position, i've put in numerous feedbacks and the response is next to nil. reporting the pblm here informs other users and usually gets us back with a url that works (at least for the moment, a day). plus the pblm gets noticed by some ibm folks from this forum BUT no one can resolve it or tell you what happened or tell you a work around. Jack Kelly LA Systems @ US Courts x 202-502-2390 -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
-Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Alan Altmark Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 11:41 AM To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU Subject: Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management snip As a discussion point, I'm not sure how reporting your Sev3, say, problem as Sev1 would do anything to get IBMLink up and running. The developers who get out of bed to deal with your Sev1 have no control or awareness of IBMLink, and the Support Center will handle the calls as usual. If you can open a PMR against IBMLink when it is down, do so (I have no idea if you can), or, if you think you are aren't getting sufficient value from the service because of downtime, then use the Feedback (when it finally comes back up). snip Alan Altmark z/VM Development IBM Endicott snip Ok, here is the theory (from when I was contracted to IBM). Problems are tracked on the basis of severity. Departments are somewhat graded on how fast they manage [handle] problems, and the severity of the problems they get (COBOL shouldn't ever get a true SEV1, should it?). So, should the queues for COBOL, VTAM, CPCS or JESx (etc.) get skewed greatly, managers are going to take notice. Visibility of the issue will have happened, and instant survey results will have been gotten. But if the customer base waits for a survey to fill it out, how long will it be before the management of the web pages gets told to get their act together? In my opinion opening tickets at SEV2 does not solve the problem. But SEV1 gets that call back within 2 hours and the reduction in severity to where it should be (perhaps to SEV3?). IBM departmental managers might get unhappy, want to talk with your management, and when they [IBM] gets told, we are paying for support, and the support system is broken more than it is up... So, now you [personally] are in VM DEV. What would happen if such postings to IBM-MAIN (about IBMLINK not being functional) were sanitized and presented to your manager? Same for other IBMers that are lurking. I remember in the Branch days that there would have been a chat with some people about customer satisfaction and how every IBMer is a sales person. But this is just discussion. Later, Steve Thompson -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
-Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Thompson, Steve (SCI TW) Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 12:35 PM To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU Subject: Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management snip Ok, here is the theory (from when I was contracted to IBM). Problems are tracked on the basis of severity. Departments are somewhat graded on how fast they manage [handle] problems, and the severity of the problems they get (COBOL shouldn't ever get a true SEV1, should it?). Yes. Customer needs to fix a business-critical COBOL program. Despite all attempts, the compiler refuses to compile, despite the COBOL being 100% correct. Or there is an LE bug, perhaps. To me, this is SEV1. My company is hurting big time. If it is bad enough, it might even result in regulatory fines. OK, that is contrived. Most shops would figure out a work-around. rantBut perhaps IBM has completed its let's dumb down the customer and there are no real COBOL people around anymore at this location. The company has a VB programmer trying to fix it./rant snip Later, Steve Thompson -- John McKown Senior Systems Programmer HealthMarkets Keeping the Promise of Affordable Coverage Administrative Services Group Information Technology This message (including any attachments) contains confidential information intended for a specific individual and purpose, and its content is protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient, you should delete this message and are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, or distribution of this transmission, or taking any action based on it, is strictly prohibited. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
On 14 Nov 2006 09:41:01 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (David Andrews) wrote: I will admit to having played the game a few years ago, when I was forced to artificially escalate a sev-3 to sev-2. At the time TCPIP sev-3s might just as well have been dropped into a black hole. You try to set severity levels responsibly, and triage yourself into the support queue in a socially conscious way. Then you question the wisdom of same when a support mechanism ravaged by budget cuts ignores you. It's better than when physicians ask you what level of pain you are at. Different people give very different numbers for the same pain level. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
On Tuesday, 11/14/2006 at 01:34 EST, Thompson, Steve (SCI TW) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: So, now you [personally] are in VM DEV. What would happen if such postings to IBM-MAIN (about IBMLINK not being functional) were sanitized and presented to your manager? Same for other IBMers that are lurking. I remember in the Branch days that there would have been a chat with some people about customer satisfaction and how every IBMer is a sales person. Actually, mailing list postings are often used by me and other Interested IBMers to drive change, whether it's in the product, our processes, our perceptions, or our plans (the 4 P's?). Sometimes the postings are used as evidence and other times simply as input. In this case, another IBMer who follows the list also knows who manages IBMLink and has contacted said manager. That said, as with requirements, you still need to use established processes to report problems with IBM services. You are not alone in the wilderness! :-) Alan Altmark z/VM Development IBM Endicott -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
Well, I hope it doesn't get *too* crowded. Then it wouldn't be wilderness any more. Jon snip You are not alone in the wilderness! :-) /snip -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
So if Alan is from z/VM and we are not alone in the wilderness, he must be the pillar of smoke. h Daniel McLaughlin Z-Series Systems Programmer Crawford Company 4680 N. Royal Atlanta Tucker GA 30084 phone: 770-621-3256 fax: 770-621-3237 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.crawfordandcompany.com This transmission is intended exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. This communication may contain information that is confidential, proprietary, privileged or otherwise exempt from disclosure. If you are not the named addressee, you are NOT authorized to read, print, retain, copy or disseminate this communication, its attachments or any part of them. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this communication from all computers. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
-Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List On Behalf Of Daniel A. McLaughlin So if Alan is from z/VM and we are not alone in the wilderness, he must be the pillar of smoke. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain? -jc- -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
Nope, not the man behind the curtain. Think Exodus. Daniel McLaughlin Z-Series Systems Programmer Crawford Company 4680 N. Royal Atlanta Tucker GA 30084 phone: 770-621-3256 fax: 770-621-3237 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.crawfordandcompany.com This transmission is intended exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. This communication may contain information that is confidential, proprietary, privileged or otherwise exempt from disclosure. If you are not the named addressee, you are NOT authorized to read, print, retain, copy or disseminate this communication, its attachments or any part of them. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this communication from all computers. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
-Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Daniel A. McLaughlin Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 1:52 PM To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU Subject: Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management Nope, not the man behind the curtain. Think Exodus. snip Then it is a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. Later, Steve Thompson (wondering for 40 years now) -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
Thanks, Steve. I should have known better, but was thinking of fire by night. I am now ending my responses to this off-subject thread... Daniel McLaughlin Z-Series Systems Programmer Crawford Company 4680 N. Royal Atlanta Tucker GA 30084 phone: 770-621-3256 fax: 770-621-3237 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.crawfordandcompany.com This transmission is intended exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. This communication may contain information that is confidential, proprietary, privileged or otherwise exempt from disclosure. If you are not the named addressee, you are NOT authorized to read, print, retain, copy or disseminate this communication, its attachments or any part of them. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this communication from all computers. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
It's better than when physicians ask you what level of pain you are at. Different people give very different numbers for the same pain level. Good analogy! People tend to give pain numbers based on the highest pain they have ever experienced. Similarly, someone who has never experienced a system down condition may consider any serious problem to be SEV1. -- Bruce A. Black Senior Software Developer for FDR Innovation Data Processing 973-890-7300 personal: [EMAIL PROTECTED] sales info: [EMAIL PROTECTED] tech support: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.innovationdp.fdr.com -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 13:34:40 -0500, Thompson, Steve (SCI TW) [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: ... In my opinion opening tickets at SEV2 does not solve the problem. But SEV1 gets that call back within 2 hours and the reduction in severity to where it should be (perhaps to SEV3?). IBM departmental managers might get unhappy, want to talk with your management, and when they [IBM] gets told, we are paying for support, and the support system is broken more than it is up... ... I see 2 problems with this. 1. The inflated issue gets given to the support team as a sev1 and may take them away from sev2 problems (which may be mine!). And it may get you known as an inflater. They aren't appreciated. I try to stay on good terms with the service teams I work with (and am often not successful). 2. If you eport a sev1 problem you have to treat it as sev1 (until it gets lowered). That includes working on the problem in the middle of the night if that's when IBM comes up with something. That's absolutely appropriate for a real sev1 problem, but not so good for a sev2 or 3. You may get what you asked for rather than what you need. Pat O'Keefe -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
-Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Patrick O'Keefe Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 3:12 PM To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU Subject: Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management snip I see 2 problems with this. snip You may get what you asked for rather than what you need. Pat O'Keefe snip Actually, we may have already gotten the attention needed. A few IBMers probably copying this thread and sending it to certain people w/in IBM. Those managers, hopefully, will see that the companies that PAY lotsa money for hardware, software and support are getting unhappy and their people [customers'] starting to discuss how to cause the pain to be on IBM's side. Well, at least I can hope that the message gets to where it needs to go. Later, Steve Thompson -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
Re: IBMLINK Failures -- Attention of IBM Management
On Tue, 14 Nov 2006 15:58:56 -0500, Bruce Black [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Good analogy! People tend to give pain numbers based on the highest pain they have ever experienced. Similarly, someone who has never experienced a system down condition may consider any serious problem to be SEV1. But that analogy is easily carried too far. Usually the pain numbers are based worst immaginable, and I have a very good imagination. No pain is worst because worst can always be like this only worse. On the other hand, system down is pretty clear. I guess it you can fudge on what you are willing to call system and perhaps whether down applies to a yoyoing system, but if you cannot run business-critical processing, your system is down; if you can, it isn't. Ok. That's an oversimplification. How about: If you are relieved to get a possible circumvention at 3 A.M., it's sev1; otherwise, it's not. Pat O'Keefe -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
