White Papers

Dell Storage support policy statement
9 Dell EMC Storage Compatibility Matrix for SC, PS, and FS Series Arrays | DSCM
Examples of conditional support situations include, but are not limited to:
If a switch or server Adapter shares the same underlying ASIC or chipset and is from the same
vendor as a tested configuration, then it may produce similar results.
If a component is an identical model of a component listed, but differs in firmware or driver version, it
may produce similar results for any firmware and/or drivers that are newer than those listed. For
example, if version X of software/firmware has been tested and is listed as Level 1, then
software/firmware versions newer than version X are expected to work.
Failure of a conditionally supported component to provide the same service level as the similar device listed
(unless Dell has communicated end of support or a specific incompatibility for a particular product, firmware,
or software version) would be treated as a bug that needs to be fixed by the device or software/firmware
vendor.
2.3 Level 3: Commercially reasonable effort
Level 3 support applies to components not listed within this compatibility matrix, or instances in which a
customer has not or is not willing to apply accepted Dell recommended practices for the specific storage
family’s SAN design and implementation. If the customer has an active support contract with the
appropriate vendor(s), and an active ProSupport or Copilot support contract, Dell will provide storage
solution full contractual support for all Dell branded components and provide commercially
reasonable effort (CRE) support for any untested component of the configuration. This support level
lasts until such time as it is determined, in Dell’s sole discretion that a problem lies within the
untested component or results from the way they interoperate with Dell components.
Dell does not guarantee that issues undertaken on a CRE basis will be resolved in a timely fashion, or at all.
There is a possibility that the customer would need to replace an untested component or take the affected
system out of production to resolve the issues.
2.4 Level 4: No support
Level 4 indicates that the device is not supported in any way for use with the specified array family as listed.
While this is not a common occurrence, there are situations where specific features or functions required to
support the array are not available in the device listed.
2.5 Support for cross-platform coexisting solutions
Cross-platform coexisting solutions are defined as SAN environments that host more than one storage
platform technology. In general, this could be two or more array technology solutions from the same vendor or
different vendors. Examples include:
A SAN solution that is hosting a Dell SC Series array as well as an EMC array solution, while sharing
the same network resources
A SAN solution that is hosting a Dell SC Series array as well as a Dell PS Series array solution, while
sharing the same network resources
Dell supports the following scenarios involving two or more array solutions sharing a common network
infrastructure: