DSNlink call logging replaced by SCM (Support Case Manager)

[Layne Burleson_1]

Is there anyone out there that used to or uses DSNlink to log calls directly with HP? If so, are you beginning to use SCM (Support Case Manager) to log calls? Have you had any issues with SCM not being functionally equivalent to DSN?

[labadie_1]

I use the (recent)
http://www4.itrc.hp.com/service/mcm/homepageRequest.do

for logging a call. I prefer it over the previous way, because it is possible to be very precise about a call, and that saves time.

[Ian Miller.]

I've used SCM to log hardware calls and its been fine. I could select which item of hardware had the problem from a list of items on the contract (you can also enter the part number) and it has worked each time.

[Layne Burleson_1]

I have used it as well. Did you use DSNlink before? If so, have you lost any functionality?

[labadie_1]

Yes I have lost DSN COPY, but I used it mainly for getting a patch, and now a patch is on the website, or if it is a brand new one, sent by mail, or may be downloaded somewhere. So, no I have not lost a functionality which was important for me.

[Ian Miller.]

the issue is that what was done via a command line interface on a VMS system now requires accessing various web interfaces. DSNlink has been done from the UK for quite a while so I was logging calls via ESR (web interface) and SCM is better than ESR. Patch downloading can be done using FTP (ftp.itrc.hp.com) with approprite access from your VMS system.

The articles and examples can be obtained via the Natural Language Search page (It does tend to return a lot of matches but if used carefully it can find what you want).

[labadie_1]

Ian

quote
The articles and examples can be obtained via the Natural Language Search page (It does tend to return a lot of matches but if used carefully it can find what you want).
end quote

I think Natural Language Search could be widely improved if it was possible to select a category for O.S., e.g. Vms, Tru64, HP-UX...
It is quite irritating, when you search for a keyword that only exists in Vms, and you find a lot of stuff regarding printers, Windows and other non-related stuff

If I search for VCC_FLAGS, and select Symptom/solution articles in High performance systems, I get 1325 answers.
The first answers are correct, but it seems that the others relate to the keyword flags, so I guess _ means AND or OR

:-(

[Ian Miller.]

there was a session at the bootcamp on itrc as a replacement for DSNlink and some hints on how to use NLS.

A couple of points from that session

For documents formerly in ITS check the â symptom/solutions articlesâ box

For more general searching check the â High Performance Systemsâ box

Try the Boolean Query with -Wizard to remove the A

[Layne Burleson_1]

I was in the session at the bootcamp. I don't have a much of a problem with searching. My problem was logging calls. SCM just does not do some of the things that we need in our organization. My purpose in this forum was to ask if others were having the same issue as well as to find out if anyone is using anything other than SCM.

[Ian Miller.]

what problems have you had and who in hp have you reported them to?

[Layne Burleson_1]

Have talked with my TAM. I've also talked with Eric Hargus (the guy that spoke at the bootcamp) as well as David Chain (NA ITRC team lead). A few days ago, my TAM was solicited for customer input regarding the end of life for the product. We have had to rewrite our custom-written interface and turn what was an almost completely automated call logging system to one that requires much more manual intervention on our part. In addition, the Gold support phone number has now been changed where I don't get a person right away. I now have to go through about 5 minutes of menu options before I get to a person. I'm just frustrated!

[Ian Miller.]

certainly call logging via SCM is not meant to be automated. Keep talking to hp and parhaps they will come up with an automated way. Is this for your systems to log their own calls (like VAXsim) or to simplify things for people?

[labadie_1]

And I prefer to avoid the phone when logging a call, because, at least in France, when you call the 0825 00 41 23, you wait for a looooong time before "press 2 for Alpha, press 3 for logging a new call", wait...

Rather depressing.

Before the merge with HP, calling this phone number, you had a girl to which you said "my contract is XYZ123, I want to log a call about Vms..."

[Layne Burleson_1]

Yeah, I know. I'm working on writing some feedback to the ITRC group regarding the lost functionality that we are experiencing without DSN. If you know of anyone else having issues, please send them my way. Maybe we can get some attention if we have several folks with similar issues.

I do realize that HP is trying to make ITRC work and that it all can't be done immediately; however, I do feel that functionality should not have been pulled until the current product was comparable. It would have been nice to have had some input before the announcement of DSN eosl.

[Jan van den Ende]

Gerard,



Before the merge with HP, calling this phone number, you had a girl to which you said "my contract is XYZ123, I want to log a call about Vms..."


This means that in France you have been lucky during Compaq times.

In the Netherlands, if in those days you wanted to log a call, the standard reply was "Have you restarted your computer? No? You have to try that first." And if you told them you did not reboot the last several years, and do not intend to now, they think you are joking. It even happened that it was reason enough to hang up, or to ask "on what radio joker program do you want my colleagues to listen?".
And if you said you had a VMS problem, they could not find that type of PC...

All in all, for us the real issue is the not-unfrequent occurrence of VMS stuff (savesets, patches releases) that are somehow mutilated by the transfer from VMS via (probably?) some *NIX and/or some M$ torture programmes to our VMS.


Cheers


Have one on me


Jan

[labadie_1]

Jan

I am amazed ! And you were paying for such a high-level Vms support ?

:-(

[Zahid Ghani]

We used to use ESR which for us was fine for logging support calls. I do have some issues with SCM.
a) You do not get a notification (email) when the call has been updated. I find I have to keep checking to see if the call has been updated.
b) SCM logs are so cluttered with internal HP commnunication that its very difficult to find out what is happening to the call. The updates on the case do not appear in chronological order either.

[Layne Burleson_1]

I have been assured by HP that these types of suggestions are getting to the ITRC program manager. Hopefully, we will get issues like this resolved.

[Willem Grooters]

I didn't/don't use DSNLink (cannot afford a support contact ;-)) - but I was on the session at the bootcamp as well. So my reply has simply to do with the HP statements in that session - as far as I can recall.
The statement made by Eric Hargus was that the successor of DSNLink would have the same functionality as DSNLink (at least, probably in some different way) and we were promised that functionality not be withdrawn before an alternative was available (and accepted)
That raises the expectation that requirements like this:

We have had to rewrite our custom-written interface and turn what was an almost completely automated call logging system to one that requires much more manual intervention on our part.

is "not needed", since automated call logging is a given DNSLink functionality.

(This summary is as good as I can remember. I may have overlooked given restrictions, or have exaggarated raised expectations)

Layne, is this good enough?

Willem

[Layne Burleson_1]

Willem,

Our custom-written interface simply accessed DSNlink. The automated part was that we sent a file to DSNlink to be forwarded to HP and a call was logged automatically. This has everything to do with what Eric mentioned in the bootcamp. The ability to send a file with the call information has been lost (and that was a functionality of DSN). Our interface simply created this file. Now, instead of having our interface send the file to the DSN server and then on to HP, we have to send the file to our corporate staff and manually enter it into SCM. We have a gold support contract and used DSNlink heavily to log calls. I do not like the fact that this functionality was lost but again have been assured that those I have spoken with within HP will forward this issue on the the ITRC program manager.

At this point, I'm thinking I've done all I can do to get HP to reinstate that function. I am now concerned about the new phone logging options. As a gold customer I have always called and a person picked up the phone. Now I have to go through menu after menu to get to a level 1 person to log the call.

So, to sum this up... I'm just frustrated with all these changes.

[Ian Miller.]

I've just reviewed the itrc for DSNlink presentation from the bootcamp and there is nothing in there about a computer interface to log calls. I think the subject did come up but I don't remember what was said (May was such a long time ago :-)

[Layne Burleson_1]

SCM appears to be the only solution to my problem. HP has recognized that it has some opportunities with SCM for VMS customers. We are working with HP to resolve these issues.