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We WELCOME the 1000+ new members who have joined us via the PULSE conference, cross brand user groups and from IBM's acquisitions! Enjoy this newsletter and get engaged with a local Tivoli User Group near you! If you have feedback please log into your account and click the "member feedback" icon.

A Big Welcome to Our New Tivoli User Groups since May 2008:

• Canadian Tivoli Security User Group
• PANMU - Pacific Northwest MAXIMO Users
• Israel Tivoli User Group

Check out the compete list of 28 user groups who have recently joined the community in the past six months! Sign up for one near you today.

Thanks to the 300+ Tivoli User Community members who attended the PULSE conference. We had a great time full of networking, education and fun. Hope to see you at PULSE 09 - Tivoli's main conference for all users/customers. Visit our PULSE page on the TUG website for information and updates.

Bi-Yearly TUC Website Survey Results

Thank you to the 228 people who filled out the Bi-yearly TUG website satisfaction survey! With 91% of you satisfied with the website we still have some improvements to make. Base on your comments we are looking into the following:
Better promotion of current capabilities, Better website navigation, More Maximo content, More Dynamic Pages, More interactive hints and tips. Look for a new website redesign/refresh in 2nd half of 2008.

When asked if the TUG website has solved problems, we received the following answers:

• "There have been so many issues we have received help with because of TUG; even un-document features"
• "TUG Newsletter provided me with the latest Tivoli Product information."
• "Use it for researching errors and problems on a regular basis"
• "Helped me identify the correct choice of server for my Maximo implementation"

Take 5 minutes to fill out the TUG Member Survey on "Best of Breed"/Tivoli Brand Survey

WANTED: Additional TUC members to join the Global Tivoli User Group (GTUG) council

The GTUG council has traditional focused on Automation but has recently expanded its membership to include Maximo, Security, and Storage. And hope to include the Network arena into the fold. If your user group is interested in becoming part of the GTUG, please send a note to brian_p_lally@bluecrossmn.com or dotteson@us.ibm.com. If you would like more information please check out our GTUG council page.

Tools News

Have you struggled to know where to get started with IBM Service Management?
To help IBM's clients get on the path to service management and to quickly realize value, IBM has developed the ISM entry points.

The five ISM entry points are:

Discover: Understanding infrastructure and business dependencies

Monitor: Tracking infrastructure health and compliance

Protect: Ensuring security and resilience against threats and disaster

Industrialize: Streamlining workflows and processes for repeatable, scalable and consistent results

Integrate: Aligning and integrating IT and business operations and objectives for optimal impact

To learn more listen to the Entry Points: The Fast Track to IBM Service Management Value Podcast or read the Tivoli Beat Article: Achieve Service Management Lift-off with IBM: Five Entry Points to Success. Click here.

The New Frontier - join IBM.com's social communities/portals!

Service management community: More of a focus on solutions that work across multiple IBM and Business Partner solutions, the Service Management field, and analyst reports.

Tivoli community: More of a focus on Tivoli products and Tivoli-identified community stakeholders such as User Groups, Business Partners, IBM Tivoli teams

Tivoli research volunteers group: A group where the community agrees to receive invitations to participate in research opportunities on prototypes for new Tivoli product designs, improving messaging, communications, and more.

All these IBM communities can be found here

HELPFUL HINT: To get started with any one of these communities on ibm.com click on this link and scroll to the bottom

Significant Improvements to asset management and Microsoft application monitoring

In recent months, IBM Tivoli has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to its mid-market customers in a variety of ways. Two newly announced IBM Tivoli solutions can help organizations achieve significant improvements in their key IT operations categories: asset management and Microsoft application monitoring. Along with these new solutions are evaluative tools and case studies, and a new accreditation initiative designed to help customers find IBM Business Partners with the Tivoli expertise they require.

Visit the Tivoli website dedicated to growing mid-market business to find out more about these new products and helpful tools.

Read the latest Tivoli Beat article: "IBM delivers big with mid-market solutions, resources, accreditation"

Three new Tivoli Product Customer Newsletters have been introduced in 2008

• ISM -- Service Management & Enterprise Asset Management
• TEC
• Storage - which incorporates the TPC

To access the current Tivoli Newsletters click on the name

Security

Monitoring

Netcool

Storage

ISM -- Service Management

ISM -- Enterprise Asset Management

TEC

Tivoli Provisioning Manager - This recording of a product demonstration will highlight some of the key features of Tivoli Provisioning Manager.

Tivoli Workload Automation - Learn about benefits and features of Tivoli Workload Automation Portfolio. Refer to product demos and additional features to know more about specific features, functions and how this portfolio can benefit your organization.

Utility Hints and tips

ITM 6.x being a new monitoring platform and evolving to a more industrial strength product to be used in large enterprises has posed some management issues with the agents and situations. IBM has developed a utility called ITMSuper that will assist in identification and resolution of these agent/situation problems.

ITMSUPER Tools allows the user to view managed system data, debug situations, and correct environment configurations.

ITMSUPER Tools -

Topology - display a panel with the ITMv6.1 environment details of managed systems, RTEMS and HUB TEMS.

Connectivity - obtains environment connectivity details and shows any discrepancies.

TEMS Server - includes a catalog comparison between RTEMS and HUB, TEMS Statistics

Exceptions Analysis - list of never fired situations, HUB Situation Status history

Distributions - situations by type, Missing distributions with a correction feature

Situations Test - Situations assigned to a managed system can be tested, cost of started situations, situation flow

Agents Response Time - agent objects, attribute data, historical data

Stressed Resource - Warehouse ODBC source data is used to view the stress resources

Warehouse Analysis - Warehouse totals by objects, Aggregation, History Collections, Exceptions Analysis

Save Session - Session will be saved in HTML file and the log will be cleared for next session

You will find ITM Super at the following link:

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/wikis/display/aabsmenbl/ITM+v6.1+ITMSUPER


Searching for Scripts, best practices, whitepapers, and documentation? 200+ items available for download, so check out the Tivoli Information Exchange (TIE). Upload your best practices and documents for sharing TODAY!

Top 10 downloads

1) Best Practices on Monitoring 6.1 and more

2) Simple ITM ASCII logfile adapter

3) WIN_disk resourceModel

4) ITM6 agent remote configuration

5) Chicago TUG Endpoint Health scripts

6) File resource model with enhanced timestamp monitoring and event messaging

7) Process Count resource model with enhanced event messaging

8) "2006 - Takeaways- ITM and IT Process Mgrs tech pr

9) Process events from wtdumprl

10) wmdist-laq

10 Recent Uploads to TIE

1) Virtualization White Paper

2) IBM Tivoli Monitoring data sheet

3) Customer Experience Mgt solution sheet

4) Tivoli Monitoring for Microsoft solution sheet

5) Enterprise Payments Platform solution sheet

6) IBM Maximo Technology white paper

7) Maximo Change and Corrective Action Mgr data sheet

8) Maximo for hospitals & healthcare industry white paper

9) Tivoli Netcool Network Mediation data sheet

10) PCI Brochure

Are You Needing Your Tivoli strategic product questions answered? Use the Peer to Peer Knowledge Exchange.

5 Recent Peer to Peer Questions Asked

Melody, We are just beginning the TSRM implementation and currently use TelAlert for integration with paging services. Has anyone created the communication template for TSRM to TelAlert for providing notifications? Dexter Enders MasterCard

Ok another easy question I hope! which I cant figure out. I want to do do is add the link to the incident or SR to the communication template so when the user receives an email the link to the SR or incident is included. HELP!

Is the Maximo Enterprise Adapter(MEA) the basis for the MEA for SAP? Is the MEA included in the MEA for SAP? Where can I find arch information on these solutions?

when i view the portal [Manage System Status Workspace] it always shows TEPS as offline even when the TEPS server is started why is that so?

Do you have an idea of how i can put the TIM console behind TAM SSO ?

Click here to view more questions from the Peer to Peer Knowledge Exchange

Top Tivoli products who have the most helpers:

Tivoli Monitoring: 40 helpers

Tivoli Storage Manager: 33 helpers

Tivoli Management Framework: 32 helpers

Tivoli Enterprise Console : 28 helpers

Tivoli Access Manager: 25 helpers

WANTED: More helpers for the Peer to Peer. These are some of the products that DO NOT have any helpers or not enough helpers!:

IBM Maximo for..

Various products for z/OS

Tivoli Netcool Products

Tivoli Continuous Data Protection for Files

Tivoli Service Level Advisor

Tivoli Monitoring for Network Performance

For more information on Product News read the "In Our Own Words" article of this Newsletter

Automation/Availability Product News:

Check out these two Wikis: IBM Tivoli Business Service Manager (TBSM) and Tivoli Application Dependency Discovery Manager (TADDM). These two Wikis were created to deliver on-demand technical information to customers. The wikis use a collaborative community model leveraging a broad set of experiences from across IBM and from our customers and partners. The current focus is on providing best practices, scenarios, and integration information to customers using these products. More Wikis from IBM are forthcoming.

JUST RELEASED: IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager v6.2 - New Integrated Monitoring and Application Management Solutions from IBM. Check out more information.

NEW: Value Driven ITCAM & ITM Offerings! Find out what these new releases are able to do.

Storage Product News

New TotalStorage Productivity Center Demo available!

The new TotalStorage Productivity Center (TPC) demo includes:

Flash Overview of the TPC Suite

Expert Opinion Videos about Storage Resource

Management and TPC

AVI Demos of TPC Standard Edition and TPC for Replication

Links to more resources :

The new demo is loaded on System Storage Productivity Center (SSPC) v1.2 and is available for you to view

On April 21st, IBM acquired FilesX, a next-generation data protection and recovery software company that is going to help existing TSM clients in two ways, find out more here.

Maximo Product News:

Maximo User Group Meetings at PULSE conference - Success!

These user groups held meetings at the PULSE conference. Check them out:

Maximo Oil & Gas Working Group

Maximo Life Sciences User Group

Maximo Transportation User Group

Maximo Facilities Management User Group

Maximo ITSM User Group

Maximo Airports User Group

Maximo Utility Working Group

McSIG (Maximo calibration Special Interest Group)

Tivoli User community for Maximo Webcasts available for replay: Maximize the value of your investment in Tivoli products using Integrated IT Asset & Service Management and IBM Tivoli Service Request Manager 7.1 Beta Demonstration

READ the ARTICLE: The Global Tivoli User Community Connects and Empowers IBM Maximo Customers

EAM Resource Center 2.0 on ibm.com: Check out the new and improved EAM Resource Center! Some of the new and engaging features include content organized by industries (including Federal Government, State & Local Government, Chemicals & Petroleum, Nuclear Generation, Transportation & Travel, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Financial Services, Industrial Manufacturing, and Utilities), industry-specific business issues plus new personalization capabilities.

Tivoli Product Announcements/Withdrawals

IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager for Transactions V6.2 - 208-090

IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager for SOA Platform V6.2 - 208-099

IBM Tivoli System Automation Application Manager V3.1 - 208-097

IBM Tivoli Business Continuity Process Manager V7.1 - 208-095

IBM Tivoli System Automation for Multiplatforms V3.1 - 208-096

IBM Maximo Asset Management V6.x - 208-100

IBM Maximo Asset Management V7.1 - 208-101

IBM Tivoli Asset Management. for IT V7.1 208-107

IBM Tivoli Service Request Manager V7.1 208-106

IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager for Applications 208-116
IBM Tivoli Monitoring, IBM Tivoli Monitoring
IBM Tivoli Monitoring, IBM Tivoli Monitoring for Databases
IBM Tivoli Monitoring, IBM Tivoli Monitoring for Applications
IBM Tivoli Monitoring, IBM Tivoli Monitoring for Messaging and Collaboration
IBM Tivoli Monitoring for Virtual Servers
IBM Tivoli OMEGAMON XE for Messaging
IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager for Web Resources

Withdrawal from Marketing - 908-100
IBM Tivoli OMEGAMON XE for Microsoft .NET V1.1
IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager for Response Time Tracking V6.0
IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager for Response Time Tracking V6.1
IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager for Response Time V6.2
IBM Tivoli Composite Application Manager for Internet Service Monitoring V6.0

IBM Tivoli Service Management Center for System z V7.1 208-127

Preview Announcement 208-120
IBM Tivoli Green Energy
IBM Tivoli Performance Analyzer V6.2

IBM Tivoli Monitoring for Microsoft Applications - new media pack 208-122

IBM Tivoli Training at User Group Meetings Continues in 2008

The Twin Cities Tivoli User Group had free training direct from Tivoli Education at their last meeting and YOU CAN TOO.

Quote from Brian Laney - COTUG Leader.. "Thanks to each of you for making the Sept 25th TSM User Group meeting a success. We had our best attendance to date with 30 folks from a variety of companies.. Overall the feedback forms were "Very Positive". The user group presidents (Celeste and Robin) were very please with the content, delivery, facilities, etc."

In the April and October 2006 surveys of the Tivoli User Group community, we asked you.. "What is the best way for IBM to reward you for being a good IBM customer?" Almost 50% of those who responded selected "Free Education Classes" as the best reward.

So, in 2007, Tivoli Training is offering free, in-depth technical training delivered by technical product experts via emeeting at regularly scheduled Tivoli User Group meetings. And you and your User Group Leader select the product and topics to be taught at your meeting from a list of over 225 courses covering over 80 Tivoli products.

What do you need to do to make this happen? Contact your User Group Leader and work with him/her and the other members of your User Group to select the product, course and topics you want taught at your next User Group meeting.

Instructor-Led Online Training!

Let the classroom come to you! IBM Tivoli offers many of our most popular courses in a new format - instructor-led online (ILO). Choose from several courses that offer our highest-rated classroom instructors and content with the flexibility, convenience and cost savings of online training.

Visit the portfolio of courses for more information.

Product Differences Training Courses

The distribution of FREE Product Differences Training CDs at Tivoli User Group meetings has proven to be very popular.

Product Differences Training is "delta" training designed to teach what is new or changed in a product release. The intended audience is people familiar with the previous release of a product who want to learn what is new or changed in the next release. Product Differences Training includes information gathered from the product developers and other experts as well as recorded demonstrations, presentations and lab exercises.

Now Available..

2007 IBM Tivoli Technical User Conference

2007 GTUG Council Face to Face Meeting IBM Service Management Case Study

IBM Tivoli License Compliance Manager for z/OS 4.2

IBM Tivoli License Compliance Manager 2.3

Differences: IBM Tivoli Workload Scheduler for z/OS 8.3

Differences for IBM Tivoli Storage Manager 5.4

To order your FREE Product Differences CDs, contact your Tivoli User Group Leader.

Did you Attend Pulse 2008? Get 20% off Tivoli Education

Tivoli Education is offering Pulse 2008 attendees 20% off the tuition on our most popular courses so you can continue to build Tivoli skills after you leave Orlando. These instructor-led online courses can be taken right from your office without the need to travel. Choose from over a dozen of our most popular courses across the Tivoli curriculum.

This offer is available to US client and Business Partner attendees of Pulse 2008. Students must enroll in an eligible course by Friday, August 22, 2008 and complete their training by October 24, 2008.

For complete offer details go to: http://www.ibm.com/training/us/tivolioffer

Annual GTUG face-to-face meeting with IBM
The GTUG face-to-face meeting took place the week prior to Pulse in Orlando Florida. The discussions were focused around Tivoli overall strategy in general and end-to-end service management using selected use cases in specific. The following is a high-level overview of the discussions. However, individual presentations by IBM will be posted to Tivoli user group website for reference here:
http://www.tivoli-ug.org/slides.php

Overall Strategy
Solve the problems beyond ITIL and beyond just IT resources - This would consist of service management components including process models, governance, business goals, asset automation, facilities automation, green data centers, industry reference and telco.

Deliver quality of service and value through a common process automation platform focusing on:
Visibility

• Single role based service management platform to manage, inventory, and execute client processes and work
• Map and extend all process, automation and operational metrics to KPIs create business-aligned dashboards and reports
• Eliminate silo views of infrastructure and applications and monitor workloads across physical, logical and grid/cloud infrastructure

• Enforce process standards and controls through defined, managed, workflows and auditable approvals and escalations.
• Implement ITIL v3, CoBIT, eTOM or other process models. Customize process controls to fit governance needs of the business.
• Transform provisioning and change management to create a dynamic computing, middleware and application environment

• Eliminate cost and error by automating change, configuration, provisioning, release and asset management tasks.
• Create common workflows to automate task across multiple organizational silos and management tools.
• Increase agility and responsiveness to business demands by creating a flexible, self-managing computing and data infrastructure.

End-to-end Service management using use cases to demonstrate correlation, root-cause analysis and SLA reporting - Like last year, a fictitious company R was selected with standard Tivoli suite of products implemented and needed help migrating to the new consolidated products and at the same time, make use of new capabilities to enhance infrastructure and application instrumentation, perform event correlation across various silos and identify the root cause of the problem. Capabilities should validate the quality of service and report against SLAs. The following use cases were identified to demonstrate the end to end management approach for them.

New Employee

• Identity Establishment
• Asset Assignment
• Asset Configuration

• Not Systems Management
• Monitor quality of service being delivered
• Root cause analysis and remediation

• Are you compliant with regulations?
• How do you demonstrate your compliance? Patch levels, licensing, user access, auditable actions, data retention

• Is this only about back-up and restore?
• Is file system space management your only concern?

Insights
You can review the detail presentation material for each one of these use cases here: http://www.tivoli-ug.org/slides.php. The following is my personal observation of the material presented and whether IBM was able to deliver what we had asked.

Due to new acquisitions and consolidation of technologies, there has been significant enhancements in instrumentation mechanisms including new and upgraded agents. There are richer set of availability, capacity and performance metrics collected and centrally warehoused for trending and reporting. There is more detail information available for problem diagnostics and fault isolation. However, these enhancements are still more focused around silos than a holistic approach to identify the root-cause. We did have some detail discussions and more information was provided to IBM by GTUG members to help developing service scenarios and focus more on correlating events from various components that make up that service and identify the exact problem.

IBM has decided to use technologies from Integrated Service Console (ISC) to deliver Tivoli Integrated Portal (TIP) using web 2.0 and meshing technology. TIP is positioned as the single portal for all Tivoli products with a granular role based views using a common single sign-on technology from one of their latest acquisitions.

Another major decision was to use Maximo process automation and workflow engine as the common Tivoli Process Automation Platform (TPAP). All of the process automation products (change, configuration, availability, capacity, financial, storage, and others) will be using this platform geared toward a common data model with common reporting and common dashboards.

A lot of emphasis was made by the GTUG council on delivering out-of-the-box automation that can be immediately used or used with minimal customization. IBM has identified 44 different automation scenarios so far that they are working on delivering in the near future.

Finally, emphasis was put on by the GTUG to have means of reporting on tracking the Tivoli licenses used for various products and meeting various regulatory compliance requirements using Tivoli Common Reporting (TCR).

Overall, the meeting was a success and we look forward to sharing with you a CD of the sessions recorded. This CD will be made available to your Tivoli User Group leader in August, just in time for many of your fall user group meetings.

SIDE NOTE: If you are looking to possibly represent your user group on the GTUG council please send a note to brian_p_lally@bluecrossmn.com or dotteson@us.ibm.com. If you would like more information about the council please check out our GTUG council page.