Electronic Services And Electronic Service Agent - IBM Power 780 Technical Overview And Introduction

The following example uses the convention:
01AM710_086_063 = Managed System Firmware for 9117-MMB Release 710 Fixpack 086
An installation is disruptive if the following statements are true:
The release levels (SSS) of currently installed and new firmware differ.
The service pack level (FFF) and the last disruptive service pack level (DDD) are equal in
new firmware.
Otherwise, an installation is concurrent if the service pack level (FFF) of the new firmware is
higher than the service pack level currently installed on the system and the conditions for
disruptive installation are not met.
Concurrent Firmware Update Improvements with POWER7+
Because POWER6, firmware service packs are generally concurrently applied and take effect
immediately. Occasionally, a service pack is shipped where most of the features can be
concurrently applied; but because changes to some server functions (for example, changing
initialization values for chip controls) cannot occur during operation, a patch in this area
required a system reboot for activation.
With the Power-On Reset Engine (PORE), the firmware can now dynamically power off
processor components, make changes to the registers and re-initialize while the system is
running, without discernible impact to any applications running on a processor. This
potentially allows concurrent firmware changes in POWER7+, which in earlier designs,
required a reboot in order to take effect.
Activating some new firmware functions requires installation of a firmware release level. This
process is disruptive to server operations and requires a scheduled outage and full server
reboot.

4.4.3 Electronic Services and Electronic Service Agent

IBM transformed its delivery of hardware and software support services to help you achieve
higher system availability. Electronic Services is a web-enabled solution that offers an
exclusive, no-additional-charge enhancement to the service and support available for IBM
servers. These services provide the opportunity for greater system availability with faster
problem resolution and preemptive monitoring. The Electronic Services solution consists of
two separate, but complementary, elements:
Electronic Services news page
The Electronic Services news page is a single Internet entry point that replaces the
multiple entry points that are traditionally used to access IBM Internet services and
support. The news page enables you to gain easier access to IBM resources for
assistance in resolving technical problems.
Electronic Service Agent
The Electronic Service Agent is software that resides on your server. It monitors events
and transmits system inventory information to IBM on a periodic, client-defined timetable.
The Electronic Service Agent automatically reports hardware problems to IBM.
Early knowledge about potential problems enables IBM to deliver proactive service that can
result in higher system availability and performance. In addition, information that is collected
through the Service Agent is made available to IBM service support representatives when
they help answer your questions or diagnose problems. Installation and use of IBM Electronic
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IBM Power 770 and 780 (9117-MMD, 9179-MHD) Technical Overview and Introduction