DB2 10.5 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows

Exchanging information with IBM

To diagnose or identify a problem, you might need to provide IBM Support with data and information from your system. In other cases, IBM Support might provide you with tools or utilities to use for problem determination.

Sending information to IBM Support

You can submit data to IBM® Software Support by FTP or by using the Electronic Service Request (ESR) tool. Instructions are provided here.

Before you begin

The steps assume that you have already opened a problem management record (PMR) with IBM Software Support.

About this task

You can send diagnostic data, such as log files and configuration files, to IBM Software Support using one of several methods, including:

FTP
Electronic Service Request (ESR) tool

These and other data exchange methods that might be available are explained on the IBM Support website.

Procedure

To submit files (via FTP) to the Enhanced Centralized Client Data Repository (EcuRep):
1. Package the data files that you collected into ZIP or TAR format, and name the package according to your Problem Management Record (PMR) identifier.
  Your file must use the following naming convention in order to be correctly associated with the PMR: xxxxx.bbb.ccc.yyy.yyy, where xxxxx is the PMR number, bbb is the PMR's branch number, ccc is the PMR's territory code, and yyy.yyy is the file name.
2. Using an FTP utility, connect to the server ftp.emea.ibm.com.
3. Log in as the userid "anonymous" and enter your email address as your password.
4. Go to the toibm directory. For example, cd toibm.
5. Go to one of the operating system-specific subdirectories. For example, the subdirectories include: aix, linux, unix, or windows.
6. Change to binary mode. For example, enter bin at the command prompt.
7. Put your file on the server by using the put command. Use the following file naming convention to name your file and put it on the server. Your PMR will be updated to list where the files are stored using the format: xxxx.bbb.ccc.yyy.yyy. (xxx is the PMR number, bbb is the branch, ccc is the territory code, and yyy.yyy is the description of the file type such as tar.Z or xyz.zip.) You can send files to the FTP server, but you cannot update them. Any time that you must subsequently change the file, you must create a new file name.
8. Enter the quit command.
To submit files using the ESR tool:
1. Sign onto ESR.
2. On the Welcome page, enter your 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, trace, or other diagnostic file that you want to submit to IBM Software Support.
5. Click Submit. Your file is transferred to IBM Software Support through FTP, and it is associated with your PMR.

What to do next

For more information about the EcuRep service, see IBM EMEA Centralized Customer Data Store Service.

For more information about ESR, see Electronic Service Request (ESR) help.

Receiving information from IBM Support

Occasionally an IBM technical-support representative might ask you to download diagnostic tools or other files. You can use FTP to download these files.

Before you begin

Ensure that your IBM technical-support representative provided you with the preferred server to use for downloading the files and the exact directory and file names to access.

Procedure

To download files from IBM Support:

Use FTP to connect to the site that your IBM technical-support representative provided and log in as anonymous. Use your email address as the password.
Change to the appropriate directory:
1. Change to the /fromibm directory.
```
cd fromibm
```
2. Change to the directory that your IBM technical-support representative provided.
```
cd nameofdirectory
```
Enable binary mode for your session.
```
binary
```
Use the get command to download the file that your IBM technical-support representative specified.
```
get filename.extension
```
End your FTP session.
```
quit
```