Just go to ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/storage/tivoli-storage-management and
download what you want. It only uses ANONYMOUS and doesn't need (so far at
least) an IBM Registration ID. I never go to the web pages to get a
download.

Bill Boyer
DSS, Inc.
"The command line is your friend" - ??

-----Original Message-----
From: ADSM: Dist Stor Manager [mailto:ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU]On Behalf Of
Roger Deschner
Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 12:51 PM
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject: Does IBM want us to make local client libraries?


In response to one of my many, many complaints about the support web
page train wreck, IBM responded that they now want all client download
requests to go through IBM Registration ID login, since it is licensed
software.

I wonder if they contemplated the effects of that?

One option is for each end-user at our site to get and use an IBM
Registration ID. Some already have, but they have complained to me about
the non-navigable site there. While some of the worst malfunctions are
being addressed, it is still not anything I would inflict on end-users.
Is IBM prepared for each of our thousands of ITSM client end-users to
register for one of these new IDs? I'm not quite sure that's what they
had in mind with this change.

The only other option is for each of us to build a local library of
client code. This has all sorts of problems. DISK SPACE AND BANDWIDTH IS
NOT THE ISSUE! The issue is maintaining this library - I now have a new
maintenance headache. And how will I know when a client is updated? I am
sure not going to go check each day or week, just in case a new client
is available. This raises a serious support issue at the installation
level.

It also makes it less likely that client code in actual use by end-users
will be up-to-date, which will complicate support calls from end-users
to us, and from us to IBM. When an IBM/Tivoli support rep requests that
we use the latest client code on the end-user's machine, that will now
become a LESS reasonable request to make. Updating it will be a
multi-step process, involving effort on the administrator's part as well
as the end-user's part. Previously, the end-user could comply with such
a request in one step.

What we might end up needing is an automated "push" process to send new
client code down to our local client code library. Or just remove the
IBM Registration ID login from the client code download page.

Roger Deschner      University of Illinois at Chicago     rogerd AT uic DOT edu
========== Only adults have difficulty with childproof caps. ===========