1. Microcode Support Services (MCS)
Provides analysis and update support for key components of IBM systems
Guy von der Esch, TSS Business Manager
August 2019
Hello and welcome to this part of TSS Business Partner education session on Microcode Support Services – or MCS.
MCS provides analysis and update support for key components of the client’s IBM systems.

2. Contents MCS service offering description Deployment & Target market
Client business benefits
Business issues / Pain points
Value proposition
Opportunity identification / Client questions
Why IBM?

3. Service Product Description
Microcode Support (MCS) is a cross-platform hardware maintenance service.
This offering provides 1) analysis and 2) update support for key components (microcode) of the client’s IBM systems.
The analysis in the hardware support centers includes all systems that are included in the contract and the interaction between those systems.
The updates can optionally be installed by IBM technicians.
A knowledgeable focal point – in the Project Management Office (PMO) - is assigned to the client.
The offering balances high availability for the client with lower support costs.
Slide: Service Product Description
Currently, analyzing and upgrading microcode are the customer's responsibilities. Clients are not confident that they will be able to identify the right microcode and driver levels required during preventative updates to their environment. Some clients are in environments where it is not feasible for their end users to upgrade their own microcode. An example of this is the retail environment, where systems can be spread across many locations. Today, if a client requests IBM to upgrade the microcode, it is a billable activity. General availability of an offering to manage and upgrade the client’s microcode would add value to traditional repair activities. Microcode Support has been developed in response to clients’ request to help with this change management.
With this offering, IBM will perform microcode update services for the customer. MCS is a hardware maintenance service providing premium preventative services, offering an integrated approach for pro-active, coordinated support for multi-platform IBM IT environments. The purpose is to maximize IT infrastructure availability at an effective cost. This offering provides analysis and update support for key components of your client’s IBM systems, including System p and System I, storage and power environments.
Client business problems addressed by this offering include:
Increasing business dependency on the information technology infrastructure
Balancing high availability with support costs
Pursuing an active change management for all IBM hardware 
Microcode Support is a cross-platform hardware capability to support clients with preventive maintenance of their IBM System p, System i, storage, and power microcode levels, one or two times a year (based on the client’s demand). The client can choose between 1) analysis only or 2) analysis and update of the client’s microcode. The updates are installed according to the customer’s contracted maintenance service level. Support will be delivered through both on-site System Support Representatives (SSRs) and hardware remote support centers. The services will be performed under a maintenance contract and not an hourly contract.
A knowledgeable focal point is assigned to the client who is the contact person for all questions about the service. This person knows the client’s expectations and time frames, for example if the client has fixed maintenance windows for updates or if there is a planned operating system upgrade that must be taken into consideration during analysis. The focal point person plans and coordinates all on-site activities, including data collection and updates.
The analysis in the hardware support centers includes all systems that are included in the contract and the interaction between those systems. The results of the analysis are documented as recommendations in the customer support plan, which contains service level information.
If the customer selects the analysis and update option, the microcode updates can be installed by IBM System Support Representatives.

4. MCS is available for Power & Storage systems.
The MCS Service Offering is available as IBM Hardware Maintenance Services for IBM Power servers and Storage solutions on a warranty and maintenance service.
Supported product list:
IBM® Power Systems™ +
IBM System Storage® + +

5. Deployment Process for MCS
Phase 2: Data collection and analysis
Collect data remotely
Generate microcode update recommendation
Analyze data from IBM contracted systems
Schedule on-site visit (if contracted)
Schedule next iteration of service
Conduct update of microcode
Phase 1: Prepare
Client contracts for MCS
Schedule appointment for data collection
Conduct ‘Welcome Call’ with client
Phase 3: Handover and update
IBM delivery team
IBM focal point
Local SSR (System Support Representative)
Remote hardware support
Slide: Deployment Process for MCS
This solution uses a two-fold delivery method. The client may purchase the analysis portion of the offering or both analysis and upgrade. There is no upgrade-only option. Delivery is provided in all cases by an IBM focal point who is the IBM contact person for all questions about the services, remote hardware support centers and local System Support Representatives.
The IBM focal point is assigned to the client: this focal point is the IBM contact person for all questions about the service. This person knows the client’s expectations and time frames, for example if the client has fixed maintenance windows that need to be used for updates or if the client is planning an operating system upgrade that needs to be considered in the analysis. The IBM contact person plans and coordinates all on-site activities, including data collection and optional updates.
This diagram illustrates the process of the offering, divided into three phases:
Phase 1: Prepare, the client contracts for MCS. On a regularly scheduled basis, IBM makes service calls to the client to schedule an appointment to collect relevant system data.
In phase 2, Data Collection and Analysis, IBM collects data from the client’s systems, both on-site and remotely. This data is analyzed and a recommendation for microcode updates is generated.
In phase 3, Handover and Update, IBM shares the recommendations with the client. If the contract includes IBM performing the updates, IBM schedules a date, completes the updates, and schedules the next iteration of service.
The analysis conducted by the support center includes all systems that are included in the contract and the interaction between those systems. The results of the analysis are documented as recommendations in the support plan, which contains service level information.
The updates can optionally be installed by IBM technicians, whereby the customer is still responsible for software updates, such as device driver and operating system updates, and IBM installs only the microcode updates.

6. Target Audience for MCS
Target Markets
System p®, and System i®, Storage or Power
Large enterprise clients and clients in the small and medium-sized business segment
Buyers
CEOs, CIOs and CTOs, IT Managers and Directors and Procurement Managers
Slide: Target Audience for MCS
The target market for this offering includes companies of all sizes and both new and existing clients … from clients with more than one IBM server and storage system, to those with hundreds of systems and complex distributed information technology environments.
All clients who have IBM hardware installed: System p, or System I, storage or power
Customers with complex environments and that are constrained in terms of resources
Market segments include large enterprise clients, as well as clients in the small and medium business segment
Decision-makers and buyers including C-level senior executives: CEOs, CIOs, and CTOs, IT Managers and Directors and Procurement Managers
The MCS value proposition will drive additional basic maintenance services to existing clients.

7. Client Business Benefits
Better utilization of client’s resources
Less room for error when using IBM expertise and knowledge
Improved overall system performance with up-to-date microcode levels
Less downtime caused by out-of-date microcode levels
Ensures that the latest HW security patches get installed
Pro-active rather than reactive management of the IT environment
Planned system updates
Slide: Client Business Benefits
Key overall benefits to the business of clients who deploy this offering include:
Better utilization of client's resources
Less room for error when using IBM's expertise and knowledge
Improved overall system performance with up-to-date microcode levels
Key benefits to the information technology department include:
Fewer outages caused by out-of-date microcode levels
Updating the firmware also ensures that the latest HW security patches get installed
Pro-active rather than reactive management of the information technology environment
Planned system updates
Better overall performance by having the IT environment at the correct microcode levels, optimizing overall system functionality

8. Possible Business Impact on Pain Points
Client Pain point
Client Business impact
Client Benefits using MCS
Increasingly complex, dispersed IT environments
Difficulties monitoring and updating microcode
Operations impacted by poor system performance
Microcode updates with minimal impact due to planning
More efficient and cost-effective systems
Limited in-house microcode resources
Inability to manage system microcode effectively
System downtime and poor performance caused by back-level microcode
Difficulty in balancing high availability with budget pressures
IBM experience and knowledge in microcode for IBM environments
High availability and enhanced system performance
Cost-effective, pro-active microcode maintenance
Downtime due to out-of-date microcode
Loss of revenue and productivity
Poor system performance and functionality
Improved business performance
Enhanced continuous operations
Slide: Possible Business Impact on Pain Points
The MCS offering addresses the following client pain points, their possible impacts on the client’s business and specific benefits provided by the MCS offering.
Pain point 1:
Increasingly complex, dispersed IT environments
Business impact:
• Difficulties monitoring and updating microcode
• Operations impacted with poor system performance
Benefit:
• Microcode updates with minimal impact due to planning
• More efficient and cost-effective systems
Pain point 2:
Limited in-house microcode resources
• Inability to manage system microcode effectively
• System outages and poor performance caused by back-level microcode
• Difficulty in balancing high availability with budget pressures
• IBM experience and knowledge in microcode for IBM environments
• High availability and enhanced system performance
• Cost-effective, pro-active microcode maintenance
Pain point 3:
Outage due to out-of-date microcode
• Loss of revenue and productivity
• Poor system performance and functionality
•  Benefit:
• Improved business performance
• Enhanced continuous operations  

9. Value Proposition
MCS removes the burden of managing the microcode levels installed on IBM systems from the client.
For clients who operate primarily in a complex or spread out environment. . .
. . . who do not have the resources or skills to upgrade the microcode on their systems. . .
. . . IBM provides microcode support that frees up customers’ resources and puts the management and upgrade of their system microcode in IBM’s hands.
This service provides cross-platform support.
IBM service has the resources best able to understand and manage these upgrades because these upgrades come from IBM and are for IBM products.
Slide: MCS Value Proposition
IBM’s microcode support removes from the client the burden of managing the microcode levels installed on IBM systems. It provides the client with an option to allow IBM to manage and perform upgrades to their system microcode, freeing up the customer's resources and decreasing the complexity of managing their distributed environment. This approach helps to increase system availability by accelerating problem determination and problem source identification. MCS is particularly interesting for clients who operate primarily in a complex or spread out environment, such as the retail industry, and who do not have the resources or skills to upgrade the microcode on their systems.
IBM provides microcode support that frees up the customer's resources and puts the management and upgrade of their system microcode in IBM's hands. This service provides cross-platform support across the client’s enterprise and allows the client to set the schedule for upgrading their microcode to avoid having unnecessary interruptions to availability. IBM’s service has the resource best able to understand and manage these upgrades because these upgrades come from IBM and are for IBM products.
Now, let us take a look at the features and benefits of MCS.

10. On the Next Call to your Client…
Key questions to ask:
Have you ever experienced downtime due to out-of-date microcode levels?
How are you currently maintaining the microcode level of all your IBM systems, cross-platform, given increased business dependencies on your information technology infrastructure?
Would you like to manage your microcode levels before you encounter problems and without consuming in-house resource time?
Would you like to use your employees’ time more efficiently?
Would you like IBM support to pro-actively maintain the microcode level of all your IBM platforms?
Slide: Questions to Ask Your Client
Your client is probably facing these challenges:
Obsolete microcode ramifications can be difficult to anticipate, monitor and update in increasingly complex, dispersed IT environments.
Limited in-house resources and skills cannot upgrade and manage system microcode effectively.
Outages caused by out-of-date microcode levels result in a loss of revenue and productivity and possibly security issues.
Ask these questions on your next visit to your client:
Have you ever experienced an outage due to out-of-date microcode levels?
How are you currently maintaining the microcode level of all your IBM systems, cross-platform, given the increased business dependencies on your information technology infrastructure?
Would you like to manage your microcode levels before you encounter problems and without consuming in-house resource time?
Would you like to use your employees’ time more efficiently?
Would you like IBM support to pro-actively maintain the microcode level of all your IBM platforms?
Follow up with these statements:
This service will help to prevent possibly costly outages.
This service will allow better utilization of your limited resources, which can now focus on your core business.

11. Determining Customer Requirements
A key opportunity owner action is to verify the client’s microcode support requirements:
Prerequisites:
A hardware maintenance contract or warranty is a prerequisite for this service
A software maintenance contract is a prerequisite for contracted systems running OS/400, i5/OS, or IBM i
1) Analysis-only or 2) Analysis and Update
Inventory to be covered (machine types and serial numbers)
Frequency of service (once per year or twice per year)
MCS is available for IBM Storage systems, IBM Power systems, IBM system i, IBM SAN Volume Controllers (SVC), IBM Storwize Systems, as well as for IBM FlashSystems.
Slide: Determining Customer Requirements
After you have identified clients with a need for MCS, IBM must identify the client’s microcode support requirements.
A hardware maintenance contract or warranty is a prerequisite for a MCS service. Customers contracting for service in OS/400, i5/OS, or IBM i environments also require a software maintenance contract. Response time is not a factor, as this is a scheduled service, not a reactive service.
MCS is available as analysis only or analysis and update. IBM will assist the client in identifying which machines will carry which coverage. The distinct service levels are mutually exclusive and cannot be combined on the same machine. The client must also decide how frequently support is to be provided. Service is available for delivery either once per year or twice per year.

12. Speciality = integrating the client’s IBM hardware microcode levels
Why MCS from IBM?
IBM has access to the most current information on its microcode levels.
IBM provides skilled resources for the MCS service.
IBM has the ability to provide a recommended update based on the client’s specific and unique environment and considering IBM cross-platform requirements.
IBM’s MCS service provides additional value through a support plan customized for the client.
IBM uses world-class tools to perform microcode installation.
Speciality = integrating the client’s IBM hardware microcode levels
Slide: Why MCS from IBM?
So, why IBM? Share these IBM differentiators with your clients.
IBM has access to the most current information on its microcode levels.
IBM provides skilled resources for the MCS service.
IBM has the ability to provide a recommended update based on the client’s specific and unique environment and taking into consideration IBM cross-platform requirements.
IBM’s MCS service provides additional value through a support plan customized for the client.
IBM uses world-class tools, such as the electronic ServiceAgent, to perform microcode installation.
The three top reasons why IBM is better are: 
• IBM developed the various platforms supported and can draw upon detailed intellectual capital.
• IBM’s services for microcode are paired with existing maintenance contracts.
• IBM offers additional maintenance solutions that can enhance client satisfaction.