Test 000-451: IBM Midrange Storage Technical Support V3

Evaluate and Establish Customer Environment and Plans (37%)

1. Evaluate and document current customer environment (e.g., equipment, operating systems, software, staff usage, satisfaction, need for change and growth, application, and virtualization)
2. Differentiate IBM storage product features and architectural advantages relevant to customer environment and plans. Contrast with current customer environment and competitive offerings at a level consistent with the customer audience. These features include:
   1. Current storage portfolio and commonly occurring previous versions, related software and middleware
   2. Midrange storage products and storage management options
   3. Performance improvements
   4. Systems management
   5. RAS
   6. Storage Efficiency and Data Protection
   7. Migration, integration and tuning
   8. BCDR requirements
   9. Space, utilization and power consumption
3. Demonstrate understanding of key concepts and terminology (IBM, competitive, and industry)
4. Recommend appropriate solution based on customer's current environment, new requirements and anticipated growth

Apply Product Information (41%)

1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of product characteristics and product selection
   1. Storwize V7000 and Storwize V7000 Unified, DS5000, N series
   2. LTO-5 and midrange tape systems (TS3100, TS3200, TS3310, TS3500)
   3. ProtecTIER Appliance (TS76xx)
2. Demonstrate general knowledge of product characteristics and product selection
   1. SAN Volume Controller
   2. SAN (as generally encountered in midrange installations)
   3. Real-time Compression Appliance
   4. DS3500, DCS3700
   5. PureSystems
   6. Tivoli Storage Productivity Center, Tivoli Storage Manager, FlashCopy Manager
3. Utilize tools, methods and processes to gain insight into the customer's business problems
   1. Performance planning tools, e.g., Disk Magic, N series SPM
   2. Capacity planning tools, e.g., Capacity Magic, DS Capacity Planning Tool, DS Power and Cooling Planning Tool
   3. Configurators, e.g., eConfig
   4. Techline CompeteCenter
   5. Competitive selling tools, e.g., COMP database
   6. ProtecTIER Planning Tool
   7. Tape Slot Calculator for TS3500
4. Compare IBM solutions to competitive offerings
5. Create an accurate solution design including configuration for hardware (e.g., SSIC), identify software, and services based upon the needs and expectations of the customer. Consider physical site requirements
6. Complete the appropriate supporting sales activity to move the sale of a storage solution forward, e.g., understand the RPQ/SCORE process; determine need for Proof of Concept; conduct a demo of the IBM solution including the GUI and basic functions of the storage system; gather appropriate data to run a TCO analysis of the IBM solution

Installation Planning / Migration Considerations (13%)

1. Identify areas of potential risk associated with installation and migration, discuss with customer, Business Partner involved with the sale, and the IBM team
2. Create a mutually developed implementation and/or migration plan with the customer
3. Establish mutually agreed post installation support plan
4. Describe and perform pre-install TDA using SAPR process

Installation Support (8%)

1. Facilitate hardware installation and configuration based on solution design
2. Facilitate basic storage software and subsystem configuration leveraging system management tools