User's Manual

Overview

Dell SupportAssist collects information about your computer hardware and software, and automatically

creates support cases when issues arise. This helps Dell to provide you an enhanced, personalized, and

efficient support experience. Dell uses this data to help solve common problems and design and market

the products and services features you use most.

SupportAssist integrates with Dell OpenManage Essentials to provide support capabilities for the

following Dell enterprise server, storage, and networking solutions, using the existing environment data:

• Dell PowerEdge servers (9G to 12G)

• Dell PowerVault NX storage servers

• Dell PowerVault MD storage arrays

• Dell EqualLogic SAN devices (except PS5000)

• Dell EqualLogic devices with Fluid File System (FluidFS)

• Dell PowerConnect Ethernet switches

• Dell Force10 Ethernet switches

• Dell PowerEdge M1000e Blade Enclosure

• iDRAC7

• Dell PowerEdge VRTX

NOTE: For a complete list of supported operating systems and device models, see the Dell

SupportAssist Version 1.3 Support Matrix at dell.com/ServiceabilityTools.

NOTE: SupportAssist does not support Dell PowerEdge C servers, Dell PowerVault NAS, Dell

Compellent devices, Dell DR4000 , Dell PowerVault RD1000, and Brocade switches.

NOTE: SupportAssist provides limited support for PowerConnect stacked configurations.

SupportAssist also provides rich device, support case, and service contract reporting.

You can access information about the OpenManage Essentials-managed Dell devices and related support

cases from the Device Inventory and Case List reports in the SupportAssist dashboard.

Equipping your OpenManage Essentials server with SupportAssist is voluntary, and results in improved

support, products, and services designed to meet your needs.

Key Features

The key features of SupportAssist include:

• Remote monitoring — Monitors your hardware to inform you of critical alerts.

• Automated log and configuration collection — Information required for troubleshooting the issue is

automatically collected and sent to Dell.

• Automatic support case creation — When a critical alert is received from your hardware by

OpenManage Essentials, the alert information is sent to Dell and a service request is automatically

created. A Dell technical support agent contacts you about the alert and helps you resolve the issue.