Going to IBM for Blue Stack Support

Over the last couple of years, I have noticed the declining value of our Blue Stack agreement with Oracle-JDE. I know this is not so much the front-line guys fault as it is the reality of Red Stack marketing.

The problem isn't so much E1 or JDE, as it is phone support. And, to some extent, its getting more difficult to get software maintenance straight off of updatecenter.oracle.com.

I am extremely curious to know what other companies are doing for Blue Stack phone support. We want to go to IBM directly but we are basically being told by our 3rd-party IBM reseller that we have to buy the software again in order to get support.

With regards to this - 'We want to go to IBM directly but we are basically being told by our 3rd-party IBM reseller that we have to buy the software again in order to get support', - if I'm not mistaken and as long as you have paid for IBM software maintenance you can call IBM directly as often as you like. I think what your reseller is trying to say (and I don’t know this for sure) is not that you have to repurchase the software, rather purchase software support. I personally am a big fan of IBM support as I find I'm always connected with an SME right after logging my PMR and without having to wait for callback’s or e-mails. If you’re speaking with IBM technical support and they can't answer your inquiry on the phone, they almost always just put you on hold and conference in one or more SME's.

Michael L.
9.0, 8.98.4.7, V6R1

When you say "IBM software maintenance", are you referring to blue stack contracts with Oracle-JDE -or- are you referring to a software maintenance contract with IBM.

This is an important distinction. I can tell you that we have a "blue stack" agreement with JDE and we also have "software maintenance" with IBM on AS400 (OS/400, BRMS, etc.). However, IBM will not talk with us directly on WebSphere questions (even though it runs on the AS400). We absolutely have to open the support request for WebSphere with JDE first.

I’m referring to a software maintenance contract with IBM. Have you tried opening an IBM WebSphere PMR (1-800-426-7378, option # 2) and if so, did IBM inform you the same as your Business Partner?

Are you familiar with Blue Stack agreements with JDE-Oracle? This is one of the constraints of blue stack agreements with JDE.

In answer to your question, 'yes', I have attempted to open PMRs with IBM. IBM asks for a serial number and then they will tell you that you neither have a software maintenance agreement nor phone support. And IBM will tell you - "you can't open a PMR on WebSphere".

Do you understand what I am saying?