Dell SupportAssist Version 1.
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. Copyright © 2014 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. This product is protected by U.S. and international copyright and intellectual property laws.
Contents 1 Overview......................................................................................................................7 Key Features...........................................................................................................................................7 Features Supported With Dell Service Contracts................................................................................. 7 Case Data Handling........................................................................
Editing Device Credentials..................................................................................................................29 Enabling Or Disabling The Automatic Collection Of System Logs...................................................30 Resetting The Device-Specific Credentials To The Default Device Type Credentials..................... 31 Overwriting The Device-Specific Credentials With The Default Device Type Credentials..............32 Sending The System Logs Manually................
Collection Failed To Upload...............................................................................................................48 Services................................................................................................................................................49 Security................................................................................................................................................49 Identifying SSL Connection Failure...........................
Overview 1 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.
Feature Basic Hardware ProSupport ProSupport Plus Remote monitoring Automated log and configuration collection Automatic support case creation Proactive parts dispatch 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 launched, SupportAssist: • Queries Dell once every three minutes for cases in the Submitted state to determine if it needs to update the case status.
For more information about the collected troubleshooting information, see Accessing And Viewing The System Log Collection.
Installing And Setting Up Dell SupportAssist 2 The following sections provide information about installing and setting up Dell SupportAssist. Prerequisites The following are the prerequisites for installing and using SupportAssist: • Dell PowerEdge servers running: – Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2012 SP1. – Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 root management server (RMS), management server, or operations console. • Dell Server Management Pack Suite Version 5.0.1 or 5.
Devices to be monitored iDRAC7 Required Management Packs • • • • Dell Windows Server (Scalable Edition) Dell Windows Server (Detailed Edition) Dell Windows Server Overrides (Informational Alerts On) Dell Common Operations Library • • • • • • • • Dell Feature Monitoring (optional) Dell Base Hardware Library Dell Common Operations Library Dell DRAC Model Dell DRAC View Dell DRAC Operations Library Dell DRAC (SCOM 2007/SCE 2010) Dell DRAC (SC2012 OM) NOTE: For information about importing the required man
• For SupportAssist on Operations Manager 2012 SP1: – Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 • Microsoft .Net Framework 4.0 • Microsoft ASP.Net • IIS 7.x with Windows authentication enabled • Web browser — Internet Explorer 8, 9, or 10 and Mozilla Firefox 23 or 24; supported only on Windows-based operating systems.
Installing Dell SupportAssist By installing Dell SupportAssist, you agree to the Dell End User License Agreement — Type A, available for review at dell.com/licenseagreements; and the Dell Privacy Policy available for review at dell.com/ privacy. Your use of SupportAssist is also subject to the terms of your Service Agreement and Terms and Conditions of Sale. To install: 1. On the management server running Operations Manager, right-click the SupportAssist installer package, then select Run as administrator.
5. Provide the following information for the primary contact to whom Dell must send alert notifications, case status notifications, and so on: – Company Name — The company name must contain one or more printable characters, and must not exceed 256 characters. – Country/Territory — Select your country or territory. – First Name — The first name can contain letters, quotation marks [ ’ ], periods [ . ], spaces, and must not exceed 50 characters.
7. Click Finish. The SupportAssist client opens in a web browser and the First-Time Setup dialog box is displayed. The SupportAssist client installed on your system registers with the SupportAssist server hosted by Dell, and sends you a registration confirmation email. NOTE: If there is an issue with registering the SupportAssist client with the SupportAssist server and your system connects to the Internet through a proxy server, ensure that you configure the proxy server credentials in SupportAssist.
Dell SupportAssist Interface 3 The top-right corner of the SupportAssist dashboard displays links that you can use to navigate the interface. The following table describes the links that are displayed. Link Description SupportAssist Community Opens the SupportAssist User Group website in a new browser window.
Column Description Case Status The current state of the support case. The status of a case may be: • • • • • • Open — Dell technical support has opened the submitted case. In Progress — The case is currently being worked by Dell technical support. Customer Deferred — Dell technical support has deferred the case at the customer’s request. Submitted — SupportAssist has submitted the case. No Case — No case exists for this device. Reopened — The case was previously closed, and has been reopened.
Column Description Server — The device is a Dell PowerEdge server or an iDRAC7 device. Service Tag A unique, alphanumeric identifier that enables Dell to individually recognize each Dell device. Date Opened The date and time when the support case was opened. You can set the number of support cases displayed per page by using the Display Cases drop-down box. The navigation icons enable you to navigate the pages of the Case List.
You can set the number of devices displayed per page by using the Display Devices drop-down box. The navigation icons enable you to navigate the pages of the Device Inventory.
Field Description Username Enables you to view or edit the user name. Password Enables you to view or edit the password in a masked format. Overwrite the devicespecific credentials with the Default Device Type Credentials for all devices belonging to the current Device Type and Credential Type Enables you to overwrite the device-specific credentials that you had previously configured for some devices, with the Default Device Type Credentials.
Field Description Use proxy settings Select this option to enable configuring the proxy server settings. Proxy Server Address or Name Enables you to view or edit the proxy server address or name. Proxy Port Number Enables you to view or edit the proxy server port number. Proxy requires authentication Select this option if the proxy server requires authentication. Username Enables you to view or edit the proxy server user name.
Preferences The Preferences page enables you to configure Email Settings, Support Collection, and Maintenance Mode. The following table provides information about the options displayed under Email Settings. Field Description Receive email notification when a new support case is opened Select this option to receive an email notification when a new support case is opened. Preferred email Language Enables you to select the preferred language for email notifications.
Field Description Company Information Enables you to view or edit the company name. Primary Select this option to view the primary contact information. Secondary Select this option to view the secondary contact information. First Name Enables you to view or edit the first name of the primary or secondary contact. Last Name Enables you to view or edit the last name of the primary or secondary contact. Phone Number Enables you to view or edit the phone number of the primary or secondary contact.
Using Dell SupportAssist 4 The following sections provide information about configuring and using Dell SupportAssist. Launching Dell SupportAssist To launch SupportAssist: 1. On the management server running Operations Manager: – Double-click the Dell SupportAssist desktop icon. – Click Start→ All Programs→ Dell→ Dell SupportAssist→ Dell SupportAssist. The Windows Security dialog box may be displayed. 2.
5. If the proxy server requires authentication, select Proxy requires authentication, and then provide the following information in the corresponding fields: – Username — The user name must contain one or more printable characters, and not exceed 104 characters. – Password — The user password must contain one or more printable characters, and not exceed 127 characters. – Confirm Password — Repeat the user password. The password should match with the one provided in the Password field. 6. Click Apply.
If the credentials for a device differs from the Default Device Type Credentials you provided, you can edit the device credentials for that particular device. For more information about providing the credentials for a specific device, see Editing Device Credentials.
5. Click Apply. SupportAssist validates the management group credentials by attempting to establish a remote connection. If the remote connection is successful, the management group credentials are saved. Related Links Remote Connection Confirming Email Connectivity You can test the SupportAssist email connectivity status, to ensure that you receive the most current case and device updates.
In most cases, part or all of this data is required to properly diagnose issues. The security policy of your company may restrict sending this data outside of your network. You can prevent sending this data to Dell by configuring SupportAssist to filter the system log collection. NOTE: When the Send network identification information to Dell option is disabled, some of the data about your network is not transmitted to Dell. This may impede Dell technical support from resolving your issue.
NOTE: Editing the credentials for a device is enabled only if you are logged on as a member of either the Administrators or Domain Admins group. 1. Click the Devices tab. 2. Select a device in the Device Inventory table. The Device Inventory page is displayed. NOTE: You can only select a device that has a valid Service Tag. If a device does not have a valid Service Tag, the check box for that device is disabled. The Edit Device Credentials link is enabled. 3. Click Edit Device Credentials.
4. Click Save Changes. Related Links Preferences Resetting The Device-Specific Credentials To The Default Device Type Credentials If you had edited the credentials for a particular device, and later want to reset the credentials for that device to the Default Device Type Credentials, you can do so using the Edit Device Credentials dialog box. CAUTION: Resetting to the Default Device Type Credentials overwrites the device-specific credentials with the default credentials.
Overwriting The Device-Specific Credentials With The Default Device Type Credentials If you had edited the credentials for several devices, and later want to overwrite the credentials for all those devices to the Default Device Type Credentials, you can do so using the System Logs page. CAUTION: Once you overwrite the device-specific credentials, the Default Device Type Credentials overwrites the credentials of devices that you had previously edited through the Edit Device Credentials link.
NOTE: The Send System Logs option is enabled only if you are logged on as a member of either the Administrators or Domain Admins group. 1. Click the Devices tab. The Device Inventory is displayed. 2. Select a device in the Device Inventory table. NOTE: You can only select a device that has a valid Service Tag. If a device does not have a valid Service Tag, the check box for that device is disabled. The Send System Logs link is enabled. 3. Click Send System Logs.
Device Type Operating System Schedule Server Windows Monthly; Monday of the first week at 12:00 AM iDRAC7 Monthly; Monday of the first week at 12:00 AM Related Links Scheduling The System Log Collection Disabling The Scheduling Of System Log Collection For A Specific Device Type Enabling Or Disabling The Scheduling Of System Log Collection SupportAssist can be configured to collect the system logs from supported devices at periodic intervals.
NOTE: Disabling the scheduling of system log collection for a specific device type only disables the generation of system log collection at periodic intervals on those devices. It does not disable SupportAssist from generating a system log collection and uploading it to Dell, if a support case is opened for those devices. NOTE: The Settings tab is accessible only if you are logged on as a member of either the Administrators or Domain Admins group. 1. Click the Settings tab.
• Verify if the server certificate on ddldropbox.us.dell.com is valid. See Verifying The Server Certificate. • Verify if the network settings on the system on which SupportAssist is installed are correct. • If the system on which SupportAssist is installed connects to the Internet through a proxy server, configure the proxy settings in SupportAssist. See Configuring Proxy Server Settings. If the communication problem persists, contact the network administrator for further assistance.
Viewing The Case List To view the Case List, click the Cases tab on the Dell SupportAssist dashboard. A progress indicator may appear at the bottom of the report indicating that SupportAssist is in the process of updating the cache of open support cases. NOTE: By default, the case list is sorted by Date Opened, in descending order.
Sorting The Case List Data By Column Name To sort the case list display data by column name, click any column header. The report refreshes to display the data in an ascending or descending order of the column header you clicked. Related Links Case List Returning The Case List Data To The Default Sorting To return to the default Case List view (Date Opened, in descending order), click the Cases tab. The report refreshes to the default sorting criteria.
4. Click Apply Filters. The report refreshes to display the data according to your criteria. If there are no matches, the following message is displayed: No support cases found. Please review your search criteria and try again. 5. To clear the search criteria and try again, click Clear Filters. The report refreshes to display the default content. 6. Repeat step 1 through step 4. The report refreshes to display the data according to your criteria.
• Click the Refresh button on the web browser to regenerate the last sort operation. The web browser may display a dialog box with the following message: To display the webpage again, the web browser needs to resend the information you’ve previously submitted. If you were making a purchase, you should click Cancel to avoid a duplicate translation. Otherwise, click Retry to display the webpage again. In the dialog box that is displayed, click the Retry button to continue.
NOTE: The Settings tab is accessible only if you are logged on as a member of either the Administrators or Domain Admins group. 1. Click the Settings tab. The System Logs page is displayed. 2. Click Preferences. The Email Settings, Support Collection, and Maintenance Mode page is displayed. 3. To receive email notifications when a new support case is opened, under Email Settings, select Receive email notification when a new support case is opened.
Viewing Support Information The Help window displays Dell SupportAssist product version and copyright information, and provides access to Dell Technical Support and Operations Manager information. To view the support information for SupportAssist: 1. Move the mouse pointer over the Help link at the top-right corner of the SupportAssist dashboard, and then click Help. 2. In the Help window : The Help window is displayed. – Read the General product and copyright information.
Accessing The Context-Sensitive Help The context-sensitive help provides information about features and tasks that are applicable to the current view on the dashboard. Once you invoke the context-sensitive help, you can navigate or search through the entire SupportAssist help system. To access the context-sensitive help, click the icon that appears in the dashboard. The contextsensitive help is displayed in a new browser window.
Uninstalling Dell SupportAssist 5 To uninstall: 1. On the management server running Operations Manager, click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features. The Programs and Features window is displayed. 2. Select Dell SupportAssist, and then click Uninstall. 3. If the Programs and Features dialog box is displayed, prompting you to confirm the uninstallation, click Yes. SupportAssist and the system log collection tools are uninstalled.
Troubleshooting 6 This chapter describes procedures you can use to troubleshoot Dell SupportAssist issues Installing Dell SupportAssist SupportAssist installation requires elevated Microsoft User Authentication (UAC) privileges, and may fail if you attempt to install by double-clicking on the installer executable. If this occurs, install SupportAssist as follows: 1. Right-click the installer executable. 2. Select Run as administrator.
If any cases display a warning icon in the Service Contract column: 1. Move the pointer over the warning icon to display a tooltip. 2. Click the Dell Support link displayed in the tooltip to open the service contract information page. You can obtain current service contract information for your Dell devices, obtain new service contracts, and so on. Service Contract Type Is Unknown The Service Contract column on Case List report displays unknown for all existing support cases.
Services • Dell SupportAssist may not initially connect to the SupportAssist server if your network requires passing web browser traffic through a proxy server. If this occurs: – A dialog box may be displayed prompting you to configure your proxy settings. Provide the information required in the appropriate fields to connect to the SupportAssist server through your proxy server. – Configure the proxy server settings in SupportAssist. See Configuring Proxy Server Settings.
Identifying SSL Connection Failure SSL connection failure may occur if your system does not have the required certificate installed from the issuing root certificate authority, GTE CyberTrust Global Root. All Dell certificates are issued from this certificate authority. To verify if the certificate is installed in Internet Explorer: 1. Click Tools → Internet Options. The Internet Options dialog box is displayed. 2. Click the Content tab, and then click Certificates.
7. Select Computer account and click Next. The Select Computer dialog box is displayed. 8. Ensure that Local computer (the computer this console is running on) is selected, and click Finish. 9. In the Add or Remove snap-ins dialog box, click OK. 10. Under the Console Root, click Certificates – Current User. 11. Right-click Trusted Root Certification Authority → All Tasks → Import. The Certificate Import Wizard is displayed. 12. Click Next. The File to Import dialog box is displayed. 13.
Related Documents And Resources 7 Other Documents You May Need In addition to this guide, you can access the following guides available at the Dell Support website. • Dell Server Management Pack Suite For Microsoft System Center Operations Manager And System Center Essentials Installation Guide • Dell Server Management Pack Suite For Microsoft System Center Operations Manager And System Center Essentials User's Guide • Dell SupportAssist Version 1.
* Serviceability Tools – To view the document, click the required product version. • Using search engines as follows: – Type the name and version of the document in the Search box. Contacting Dell NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog. Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options.
