IBM Support options for On-premises Software

For IBM On-premises Software Extended Support can provide an additional four years of extended support for end-of-support versions or releases to enable a client to execute a migration or upgrade. 

For IBM On-premises Software Sustained Support provides a support option to clients that are using IBM programs that have been withdrawn from market and their end-of-support date reached. 

Subscription and Support

Subscription and Support Client need Features Initial Case Severity Response Goal † Coverage
  • Strong business protection, for production workloads
  • Problem resolution via access to our deeply skilled, industry leading technical support professionals
  • Preventive care from product fixes, security patches, and updates
  • Access to 24x7 Severity 1 response
  • Digital Self Service Community, Chatbot, Cognitive search and chat, Expert community forums
  • Access to online docs & best practices
  • Severity 1: 2 hours (24x7)
  • Severity 2: 2 business hours
  • Severity 3: 2 business hours
  • Severity 4: 2 business hours
  • Program Non-Expiring entitlement: 12 months of S&S is included with the License entitlement, then S&S is renewed annually for all uses and installations of the Program.
  • Program Term License entitlement: S&S is included for the duration of the term entitlement.

Base Support

Base Support is Subscription and Support for a specific version or release of a Program until IBM transitions to Extended or Sustained Support.  
  • For On Premises Software IBM Extended Support can provide an additional four years of support for versions or releases when Base Support has been transitioned.
  • For On Premises Software IBM Sustained Support provides a support option when Base Support has transitioned for the last version.  
 

Advanced Support

Advanced Support provides a higher tier, priority care support to respond to critical support requests and drive faster case resolution.  Advanced Support allows IBM clients to tailor their Support needs to their business and environment.

 
Advanced Support options Client need Features Initial Case Severity Response Goal † Prerequisites
  • Provides increased responsiveness and higher support case prioritization
  • Priority Access to Senior Technical Support Professionals
  • Provides holistic approach of advising clients based on case patterns
  • Higher Support Case Prioritization
  • Priority access to Senior Technical Support Professionals
  • Mutually agreed Critical Support Sev 2 cases will be worked 7*24 if Customer agrees to work 7*24 as well
  • Support Case reporting and trends, clarity of status of priority cases on a mutually agreed basis to ensure proper case prioritization with business alignment
  • Advanced Support Focal (ASF)
  • Severity 1: 30 minutes (24x7) Initial Response
  • Severity 2-4: 1 Business Hour Initial Response
    • Mutually agreed Critical Severity 2 issues will be worked 24x7 if customer agrees to work 24x7 as well
Requires active:
i.  Subscription & Support;
ii.  Sustained Support; or
iii. Software as a Service subscription

† Review the Severity Descriptions guidelines for business impact associated to each severity level. Response Goals are intended to describe IBM's goals only, and do not represent a guarantee of performance.

  

Additional Support:

  • For IBM programs that are not covered by the software support offerings listed above, as defined in the IBM Support Product lifecycle page for the IBM programs, refer to the Software support page provided by IBM Technology Lifecycle Services.

Additional references:

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