Tiered multi-source software support using automated diagnostic-data transfers

Primary and secondary support vendors (20) and (30) provide support for an application (15) running on a customer computer system (11). Diagnostic software (17) running on the customer computer system gathers diagnostic data, which is transmitted to the primary-support vendor's computer system (21). There, the diagnostic data is analyzed to determine whether the help of the secondary support vendor is required. If so, the diagnostic data is repackaged for transmission to the secondary support vendor. The results of the secondary analysis are returned to the primary support vendor's computer system and used to generate a proposed solution, which is made available to the customer (10).