Determining which PM iSeries transmission method to use

Determine how you want to send data. You can either gather your data with the Management Central inventory function and send the data with Electronic Service Agent™ (Extreme Support) or you can have PM iSeries™ gather the data and send it over the SNA protocol.

Since V5R1, the PM iSeries transmission process has taken advantage of the network configuration that you perform with Management Central to set up a central system and endpoint systems. However, you can still use the character-based interface to configure PM iSeries. Choose which transmission method you want to use:

• Send data with the Electronic Service Agent over Extreme Support

  If you choose this transmission method, you need to configure PM iSeries to have data gathered by the Management Central inventory function. Perform this configuration for PM iSeries if your servers have V4R5 or later of the operating system installed ( also have the Universal Connection fixes applied). You would choose this method if you use Extreme Support.

• Send data with SNA protocol

  If you choose this transmission method, you need to configure PM iSeries by using the character-based interface. PM iSeries gathers your data and transmits it by using SNA. Perform this configuration for PM iSeries if your servers have i5/OS^® V4R5 or earlier installed.

Once you have implemented which transmission method you want to use, you are ready to do the other tasks to manage PM iSeries.

• Sending PM iSeries data with Service Agent over Extreme Support (Universal Connection)
  PM iSeries uses Collection Services to gather the nonproprietary performance and capacity data from your server. After you have collected this data, you can use Electronic Service Agent over Extreme Support to send the data to IBM^®.

• Gathering PM iSeries performance data
  You can use Management Central to gather your PM iSeries performance data.

• Sending data with SNA protocol
  If you choose not to take advantage of sending data with the Electronic Service Agent over Extreme Support, you can still use the character-based interface to transmit data.

• Configuring PM iSeries network for a single server
  A single server sends its data directly to IBM.

• Configuring PM iSeries network for a host server
  A host server receives performance data from other servers and then forwards the data to IBM .

• Configuring PM iSeries network for a remote server
  A remote server sends its performance data to a host server.

• Working with remote servers
  In some sites, a host server in a network sends the required performance data to IBM for processing.

• Working with remote servers in a non-APPN network
  The primary server receives PM iSeries data from other servers and then sends the data to IBM. The remote server sends PM iSeries data to the primary server.

• Creating a device description for PM iSeries
  You can create a device description for PM iSeries.

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Related concepts
Management Central