How to find DataPower Product Documentation

• I am troubleshooting a specific issue with a DataPower Appliance. How do I find information on how to resolve it?
• I'm trying to find the latest firmware versions for DataPower Appliances and links to download them. When does my current level go out of support?
• I want to know what issues are fixed in my current firmware release or the one I'm planning to upgrade to.
• What hardware appliance models are currently supported and when do others go out of support?
• I want to read a good technical article that outlines features or ways to use the IBM DataPower Gateways products.
• I'm trying to understand how the DataPower products work. What content is available to help me learn how to use my DataPower Appliance products?
• I want to be notified when DataPower news or late breaking information is published that might affect my DataPower environment. Is there something I can subscribe to or is there any social media tool I can use to follow that information?

I am troubleshooting a specific issue with a DataPower Appliance. How do I find information on how to resolve it?

If you are stuck on an issue with a DataPower product and have been trying to resolve it, you can start with a troubleshooting technote. Many DataPower Appliance issues that you might encounter have been documented by support with step by step procedures on how to resolve them. The IBM DataPower Gateways Support Portal is a great place to find those technotes. What you will find on the 'Troubleshoot' tab of the IBM DataPower Gateways Support Portal is as follows:

• Flashes and Alerts - The latest critical issue technotes published by date.
• Troubleshooting Top Ten - The latest troubleshooting technotes sorted by published date. You can also view these documents sorted by most viewed.
• Troubleshooting Documentation - Contains links to a great DataPower Troubleshooting Guide, links to general DataPower product documentation or Knowledge Centers and links to MustGather documents that will help you gather the appropriate troubleshooting data before calling into support.
• Search - If the Support Portal doesn't show the technote you are looking for in the portlet view try doing a search in the search field or even from your favorite search engine. All IBM DataPower Gateways technotes are indexed and easily found by typing in your search terms into any popular search engine.
• Forums - If you want to see if other users are experiencing the same issue or if you want to post a question about your issue check out the DataPower discussion forum where more in depth issues are being discussed or the Q&A forum where you can simply ask a question and have it answered by the community. Both forums are very robust communities of clients, support engineers and developers where you can get answers to your questions.
• If you still cannot find the the solution to the issue you are trying to resolve, contact DataPower Support through the online Service Request tool.

I'm trying to find the latest firmware versions for DataPower Appliances and links to download them. When does my current level go out of support??

Each supported firmware version has it's own set of technotes with details on what fixes and enhancements that firmware version contains and how to obtain it. The best place to start is with this technote "Support firmware versions and recommended upgrade levels for IBM DataPower Gateways." This document is the jumping off point for everything firmware related as it pertains to WebSphere DataPower appliances. This technote will take you to the fix lists, release notes and download links for each supported version. Bookmark it because it is updated several times per year with new information.

For information on when these supported firmware levels go out of support see the IBM DataPower Gateways firmware support lifecycle document.

I want to know what issues are fixed in my current firmware release or the one to which I'm planning to upgrade.

As stated above, each supported firmware version has it's own set of technotes (called 'Fix Packs') with details on what fixes and enhancements that firmware version contains. Here is a collection of all of the fix packs DataPower Support has available and published for each version. You can also get to that same information from this technote "Support firmware versions and recommended upgrade levels for IBM DataPower Gateways."

What hardware appliance models are currently supported and when do others go out of support?

This document, "Lifecycle dates for the Hardware Generation Machine Types (M/T): 9235, 4195, 7199, and 7198" provides information on the Lifecycle dates for the Hardware Machine Types (M/T) for IBM Appliances: DataPower, Cast Iron, and XC10, along with IBM Workload Deployer and IBM Cloudburst appliances.

I want to read a good technical article that outlines features or ways to use the IBM DataPower Gateways products.

Many of IBM's DataPower experts take time out of their busy support, development and research schedules to write detailed and useful technical documents pertaining to many aspects of the DataPower Appliances product portfolio. You can find many of those DataPower specific technical documents here in the IBM developerWorks® Technical Library. Many others also participate in residencies with other experts culminating in DataPower specific IBM Redbooks® and still others participate in more focused technical exchanges in which our DataPower clients can also participate called WSTE's or WebSphere Support Technical Exchanges.

I'm trying to understand how the DataPower products work. What content is available to help me learn how to use my DataPower Appliance products?

If you are new to DataPower Appliances or just want to learn more about how the products work there are several ways you can do that.

IBM DataPower Gateways Documentation Portal - Takes you to the DataPower Knowledge Centers. This allows you to find product information broken down by firmware version and by appliance type. This information is mostly about how to use the product rather than specific troubleshooting information.

WebSphere DataPower RedBooks® - This link takes you to DataPower specific published RedBooks®.

developerWorks® Technical Library - This link takes you to the DataPower documents located in the developerWorks® Technical Library.

WebSphere Support Technical Exchange (WSTE) - This link takes you to upcoming WSTE's and WSTE Replays specific to the DataPower products.

Education pertaining to DataPower - This link takes you to specific DataPower training and education to help you better understand all of the DataPower products through the IBM Education Assistant.

I want to be notified when DataPower news or late breaking information is published that might affect my DataPower environment. Is there something I can subscribe to or is there any social media tool I can use to follow that information?

The short answer is yes! There are several ways to stay informed of late breaking news or newly published information pertaining to DataPower Appliances.

• My Notifications: My Notifications is a subscription tool that will allow you to subscribe to specific content types such as troubleshooting technotes, News, Security Flashes and even APARs. Anytime a new document is published out to the web or an existing document is updated it can be pushed out through My Notifications. If you are subscribed to that document type you will get notified of that update via email or through your favorite RSS feed. You can find more information on how to use My Notifications and how to subscribe by going to this document.
• Social Media: IBM DataPower Gateways has a large and growing social presence on the web. These social tools are used to keep clients updated and informed about DataPower news, new releases, important technotes and other information.
• Twitter: Follow @IBMDataPower on Twitter. This is the official IBM DataPower Gateways Support Twitter account.
• Facebook: Become a fan of the "WebSphere and CICS Support" Facebook fan page. This page contains news and information for all of the WebSphere, CICS and IBM ILOG family of products.
• Blog: The WebSphere and CICS Support Blog is hosted on IBM developerWorks and provides technical information on the WebSphere and CICS suite of products. Check the blog for topics in support that affect DataPower Appliances.
• LinkedIn: Please feel free to join in or start discussions with respect to WebSphere, CICS and BPM products on our "WebSphere and CICS and BPM Support" LinkedIn account. You can discuss technical support information, hints and tips. You can also provide us feedback: what you'd like to see; what we should keep on doing; what we should change, etc.
• YouTube: IBM SupportTV contains Problem-solving and Troubleshooting videos associated with IBM Application Integration and Middleware software offerings and soon to contain videos specific to DataPower Appliances.

Note: This technote is in response to feedback from our clients stating that information is very hard to find on Support Portal. This technote addresses some of the most frequently asked questions with regards to finding specific DataPower product documentation. If we've missed anything that you would like to see added to this technote or if you would like to leave a comment in general to how this document could be made better please do so in the comments field under "Rate this page".

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