Chapter 10. Red Hat Access Plug-in

10.1. Red Hat Access Plug-in

The Red Hat Access pre-installed plug-in lets you access several Red Hat Customer Portal services from within the Red Hat SAM web interface.
The Red Hat Access plug-in provides the following services:
  • Search: Search solutions in the Customer Portal from within the Red Hat SAM interface.
  • Support: Access your open support cases, modify an open support case, and open a new support case from within the Red Hat SAM interface.

Note

To access Red Hat Customer Portal resources, you must log in with your Red Hat Customer Portal user identification and password.

10.1.1. Searching for Solutions in the Red Hat Access Plug-in

The Red Hat Access plug-in provides search capabilities that look through the solutions database available in the Red Hat Customer Portal without needing to log in to the Customer Portal interface.
To search for solutions from the Red Hat SAM Server:
  1. In the top right, click Red Hat Access → Search.
  2. To log into the Red Hat Customer Portal: In the main panel top right, click Log In.

    Note

    To access Red Hat Customer Portal resources, you need to log in with your Red Hat Customer Portal user identification and password.
  3. In the Red Hat Search: field, enter your search query. Search results display in the left-hand Recommendations list.
  4. In the Recommendations list, click a solution. The solution article displays in the main panel.

10.1.2. Viewing Existing Support Cases Using the Red Hat Access Plug-in

To view existing support cases from the Red Hat SAM Server:
  1. In the top right, click Red Hat Access → Support → My Cases.
  2. In the main panel top right, click Log In to log into the Red Hat Customer Portal. If you are already logged in, skip this step.

    Note

    To access Red Hat Customer Portal resources, you must log in with your Red Hat Customer Portal user identification and password.
  3. To search for a specific support case from existing cases, do any of the following:
    1. In the Search field, provide a key word or phrase.
    2. From the drop-down list, choose a specific Case Group. Your organization has defined Case Groups inside the Red Hat Customer Portal.
    3. Choose a Case Status.
  4. From the results, choose a specific support case and click the Case ID. The support case is ready to view.

10.1.3. Modifying Existing Support Cases Using the Red Hat Access Plug-in

Prerequisites

Complete the instructions from the previous section.

Update Support Cases from the Red Hat SAM Server web interface. When viewing the support case, scroll down to the sections marked to do the following:
  • Attachments: - Attach a local file from the system. Add a filename to make it easier to identify.

    Note

    Filenames must have less than 80 characters. The maximum file size for web uploaded attachments is 250 MB. Use FTP for larger files.
  • Case Discussion: - Add any updated information about the case you wish to discuss with Global Support Services. After adding information, click Add Comment.

10.1.4. Creating New Support Cases Using the Red Hat Access Plug-in

  1. In the top right, click Red Hat Access → Support → New Case.
  2. In the main panel top right, click Log In to log into the Red Hat Customer Portal. If you are already logged in, skip this step.

    Note

    To access Red Hat Customer Portal resources, you must log in with your Red Hat Customer Portal user identification and password.
  3. The Product and Product Version fields are automatically populated. Complete the other relevant fields, as follows:
    • Summary: - Provide a brief summary of the issue.
    • Description: - Write a detailed description of the issue.

      Note

      Based on the summary, recommendations for possible solutions display in the main panel.
  4. Click Next. A second screen displays.
  5. Choose the appropriate options, as follows:
    • Severity: Select the ticket urgency as 4 (low), 3 (normal), 2 (high> or 1 (urgent).
    • Case Group: Based on who needs to be notified, create case groups associated with the support case. Select Case Groups in Red Hat Satellite. Create Case Groups within the Customer Portal.
  6. Attach any required files. Add a file description and click Attach.
    To ensure you provide relevant information, it is recommended that you attach the output of the following commands: 
    # sosreport
# foreman-debug

    Important

    foreman-debug removes all security information such as password, tokens and keys while collecting information. However, the tarball can still contain sensitive information about the Red Hat Satellite Server. It is recommended to send this information directly to the intended recipient and not publicly.

    Note

    Filenames must have less than 80 characters. The maximum file size for web uploaded attachments is 250 MB. Use FTP for larger files.
  7. Click Submit. The system uploads the case to the Customer Portal, and provides a case number for your reference.