Dell PowerVault ME4 Series Storage System Support Matrix

Level 1: Full Contractual Support

For tested devices listed in this Support Matrix, (and for the specific version listed), Dell EMC will provide solution support, under an active support contract assuming that all other components in the storage solution are also under contracted support with their respective manufacturers and that documented recommended design best practices are followed.

Level 2: Conditional Support

In addition to the product versions tested by Dell EMC and listed in this Support Matrix, the compatibility of comparable hardware models and newer firmware versions can be projected based upon the results for the systems actually tested and will be designated as "conditionally supported".

Dell EMC will provide full contractual support for the storage solution under an active support contract, assuming that all components in the storage solution are also under contracted support with their respective manufacturers and that documented recommended design best practices are followed.

Resolution of functional and/or performance issues may be out of Dell EMC’s control. In such cases, these issues will need to be addressed by the applicable device or software/firmware vendor. Dell EMC may require, in its sole discretion, as a condition of continuing support, that the customer replace the component with one that was tested and/or upgrade/downgrade to a supported software version.

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 version, then it may produce similar results for any firmware and/or drivers that are newer than those listed. For example, if version X of firmware has been tested and is listed as compatible, then versions newer than version X are expected to continue to work.

Failure of a "conditionally supported" component to provide the same service level as the similar device listed, unless Dell EMC 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.

Level 3: Commercially Reasonable Effort

For components not listed within this Support Matrix, OR where customer has not, or is not willing to apply accepted Dell EMC recommended best practices for the specific storage family’s SAN design and implementation, as long as the customer has an active support contract with the appropriate vendor(s), and an active support contract, Dell EMC will provide storage solution support for any untested component of the configuration, until such time as it is determined, in Dell EMC’s sole discretion, that a problem lies within the untested component(s) or the way they interoperate with Dell EMC.

Once an untested component has been determined to be the source of the issue, Dell EMC will only provide support for the storage solution on a Commercially Reasonable Effort (CRE) basis. CRE support may be limited to certain days of the week and during normal business hours only.

Dell EMC 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.