One of NetApp’s AutoSupport best practices is to enable the storage system to automatically generate and transmit AutoSupport messages to NetApp using the integrated functionality in Data ONTAP. By enabling AutoSupport automatically, NetApp can provide proactive support through My AutoSupport, and reactive support through the NetApp Support Center. The My AutoSupport tool allows users to administer and support their NetApp storage systems with tools such as an AutoSupport data viewer, device visualizer, storage efficiency and health check reports, and Data ONTAP upgrade plan generator.

For a small number of users, it might not be possible for AutoSupport messages to be sent automatically due to network connectivity limitations. However, the AutoSupport data might be required for Technical Support to efficiently troubleshoot a system failure. In these cases, the AutoSupport data will have to be collected manually. In Data ONTAP 7.x and earlier, a majority of the AutoSupport data was formatted as plain text. However, in Data ONTAP 8.0 and later, AutoSupport data is increasingly being generated in the XML format, which requires an XML viewer to read the data. The switch to XML was done to minimize the size of AutoSupport messages. Additionally, in Data ONTAP 8.0.1 and later, the attachments are encoded in a MIME format when stored in the storage system’s /etc/log/autosupport directory.

Some support engineers might find it advantageous for the user to manually send AutoSupport data in a way that would allow the NetApp systems such as My AutoSupport or the NetApp SmartSolve Tools Portal to display this data. This article contains the steps to provide AutoSupport as a file upload or in a manner that enables the data to be visible in My AutoSupport.

For more information on enabling AutoSupport, see the AutoSupport section on the NetApp Support site.