Users Guide
Table Of Contents
- SupportAssist Version 2.2 for Dell OpenManage Essentials User's Guide
- Overview
- Installing, upgrading, and uninstalling SupportAssist
- Using Dell SupportAssist
- Starting SupportAssist
- Getting started with SupportAssist
- Configuring the default device type credentials
- Configuring the local SMTP e-mail server settings
- Verification of device status
- Connectivity test
- Editing device credentials
- Resetting the device-specific credentials to the default device type credentials
- Overwriting the device-specific credentials with the default device type credentials
- Filtering the system log collection
- Sending the system logs manually
- Enabling or disabling the automatic collection of system logs
- Enabling or disabling the scheduling of system log collection
- Scheduling the periodic collection of system logs
- Default system log collection schedule
- Disabling the scheduling of system log collection for a specific device type
- Viewing the case list
- Viewing the device inventory
- Filtering the displayed data
- Removing filters from the displayed data
- Sorting the displayed data
- Device grouping
- Device credentials used by SupportAssist
- Configuring the system credentials
- Auto update
- Configuring proxy server settings
- Confirming connectivity through the proxy server
- Opting in or opting out from ProSupport Plus server recommendation report emails
- Configuring e-mail notification settings
- Setting SupportAssist to maintenance mode
- Support for Dell OEM servers
- Viewing and updating the contact information
- Accessing and viewing the logs
- Accessing and viewing the system log collection
- Viewing SupportAssist product information
- Viewing support information
- Accessing the context-sensitive help
- Troubleshooting
- Installing SupportAssist
- Registration problem
- Ensuring successful communication between the SupportAssist application and the SupportAssist server
- Verifying the installation of the collection components
- Launching SupportAssist
- Services
- Collection error
- Collection upload error
- Security
- Troubleshooting SSL connection failure
- Service contract
- Service Tag warnings
- Dell SupportAssist user interface
- Related documents and resources
- Error code appendix
Table 1. SupportAssist capabilities (continued)
SupportAssist
capability
Description Dell service contract type
Basic
Hardware
ProSupport ProSupport
Plus
Proactive parts
dispatch
Based on examination of the collected
system information, if the Dell Technical
Support agent determines that a part needs
to be replaced to resolve the issue, a
replacement part is dispatched to you with
your consent.
ProSupport Plus
reporting
Data collected periodically by SupportAssist
enables Dell to provide you an insight into
your company’s as-maintained environment
configuration with proactive firmware
recommendations and other reports.
* Predictive detection of hardware failures is applicable only for the hard drives, backplanes, and expanders of Dell’s 12th and
13th generation of PowerEdge server that have PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) Series 5 to 9. Predictive detection of
hardware failures is possible only when SupportAssist is configured to periodically collect and send system information from
monitored devices to Dell.
Case data handling
For increased performance, SupportAssist case data is cached prior to display in the dashboard, and is not displayed in real time.
When started, SupportAssist queries Dell once every 15 minutes for all cases to determine if it needs to update the case status.
Event handling
SupportAssist intelligently handles event storm conditions, allowing up to nine separate alerts from your OpenManage
Essentials-managed environment in a 60-minute time span. However, if it receives 10 or more separate alerts it automatically
enters maintenance mode. For information on maintenance mode, see Preferences and Setting SuppotAssist to maintenance
mode.
Maintenance mode suspends any further processing of alerts, enabling you to make infrastructure changes without generating
unnecessary alerts. After 30 minutes in maintenance mode, SupportAssist automatically exits maintenance mode and resumes
normal alert processing.
Data collected by SupportAssist
NOTE:
By default, SupportAssist collects data from all supported devices in an environment, irrespective of the service
contract type of the devices, and uploads the data to Dell. The collection of data is staggered, and the data is collected
from 5 to 10 devices at a time. For information about the default frequency of data collection, see Default system log
collection schedule.
SupportAssist continually monitors the configuration data and usage information of OpenManage Essentials-managed Dell
hardware and software. While Dell does not anticipate accessing or collecting personal information, such as your personal files,
web-browsing history, or cookies, in connection with this program, any personal data inadvertently collected or viewed will be
treated in accordance with the Dell Privacy Policy available for review at Dell.com/privacy.
The information encrypted in the data log sent to Dell includes the following categories of data:
● Hardware and software inventory — Installed devices, processor(s), memory, network devices, usage, and Service Tag.
● Software configuration for servers — Operating system and installed applications.
● Network identity information – Computer name, domain name, and IP address.
● Event data — Windows event logs, core dump, and debug logs.
For more information about the collected troubleshooting information, see Accessing and viewing the system log collection.
8
Overview