The Call Home function can be initialized to call either a service center telephonenumber, a customer administration center, or a digital pager telephone number. TheService Processor can be configured to stop at the first successful call to any of thenumbers listed, or can be configured to call every number provided. If connected to theservice center, the Service Processor transmits the relevant system information (thesystem’s serial number and model type) and Service Request Number (SRN). Ifconnected to a digital pager service, the Service Processor inputs a Customer VoiceTelephone Number defined by the customer. An established sequence of digits or thetelephone number to a phone near the failed system could be used to signal a systemadministrator to a potential system failure.During normal operations, the Service Processor can also be configured to monitor theAIX Operating System. If AIX does not respond to the Service Processor heartbeat, theService Processor assumes the Operating System is hung. The Service Processor canautomatically initiate a restart and, if enabled, initiate the call home function to alert theappropriate parties to the system hang. Enabling Operating System Surveillance alsoaffords AIX the means to detect any Service Processor failures and report those failuresto the Service Director application.Unlike the Service Director, the Service Processor cannot be configured in aclient/server environment where one system can be used to manage all dial-outfunctionally for a set of systems.Prior to installing the Service Processor feature, ensure that you have the latest levelsof Service Processor microcode and system firmware. You also need a properlyconfigured modem. For more information on configuring a modem, see “ModemConfiguration Menu” on page 54.Service DirectorThe Service Director is a software extension to the AIX Operating System that monitorsthe system while the AIX Operating System is running. The Service Director monitorsand analyzes all recoverable system failures, and, if needed, can automatically place aservice 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 Service Director code also gives the user the option to establish a single system asthe problem reporting server. A single system, accessible over the user network, can beused as the central server for all the other systems on the Local Area Network (LAN)who are running the Service Director application. If the Service Director application on aremote client decides a service request needs to be placed, the client forwards theinformation to the Service Director server, which dials the service center telephonenumber from its locally attached modem. In this scenario, the user only needs tomaintain a single analog line for providing call-out capabilities for a large set of servers.Chapter 2. Using the 44P Series Model 270 39
