Unlike the Electronic Service Agent, the service processor cannot be configured in aclient/server environment where one system can be used to manage all dial-outfunctions for a set of systems.Prior to installing the Electronic Service Agent feature, ensure that you have the latestlevel of system firmware. You also need a properly configured modem. For moreinformation on configuring a modem, see Appendix E, “Modem Configurations”, onpage 293.Electronic Service AgentThe Electronic Service Agent is a software extension to the AIX operating system thatmonitors the system while the AIX operating system is running. The Electronic ServiceAgent monitors and analyzes all recoverable system failures, and, if needed, canautomatically place a service call to a service center (without user intervention).The service center receives the machine type/serial number, host name, SRN, and aproblem description. The service center analyzes the problem report and, if warranted,dispatches a service person to the customer site. The service center also determines ifany hardware components need to be ordered prior to the service person’s arrival.The Electronic Service Agent code also gives the user the option to establish a singlesystem as the problem reporting server. A single system, accessible over the usernetwork, can be used as the central server for all the other systems on the local areanetwork (LAN) that are running the Electronic Service Agent application. If theElectronic Service Agent application on a remote client decides a service request needsto be placed, the client forwards the information to the Electronic Service Agent serverthat dials the service center telephone number from its locally attached modem. In thisscenario, the user only needs to maintain a single analog line for providing call-outcapabilities for a large set of servers.When used in a scalable parallel (SP) environment, a client/server type implementationis configured. The Electronic Service Agent client code runs on each of the SP nodes.The server component runs on the control workstation. In the event of any systemfailures, the relevant information is transmitted to the control workstation through theintegrated Ethernet. After it has been alerted to the system failure, the controlworkstation initiates actions to prepare and send the service request.A modem is required for enabling automated problem reporting to the service center.Configuration files for several types of modems are included as part of the ElectronicService Agent package. Refer to Appendix E, “Modem Configurations”, on page 293 formore information on configuring your modem.Chapter 2. Diagnostics Overview 25
