NetApp AutoSupport
The AutoSupport feature of ONTAP allows you to proactively monitor the health of your system and automatically send messages and details to NetApp technical support, your organization's internal support team, or a support partner. By default, AutoSupport messages to NetApp technical support are enabled when the storage system is configured for the first time. In addition, AutoSupport begins sending messages to NetApp technical support 24 hours after it is enabled. This 24-hour period is configurable. To leverage the communication to an organization's internal support team, the mail host configuration must be completed.
Only the cluster administrator can perform AutoSupport management (configuration). The SVM administrator has no access to AutoSupport. The AutoSupport feature can be disabled. However, NetApp recommends enabling it because AutoSupport helps speed problem identification and resolution should an issue arise on the storage system. By default, the system collects AutoSupport information and stores it locally even if you disable AutoSupport.
For more details regarding AutoSupport messages, including what is contained in the various messages and where different types of messages are sent, see the NetApp Digital Advisor documentation.
AutoSupport messages contain sensitive data including, but not limited to, the following items:
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Log files
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Context-sensitive data regarding specific subsystems
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Configuration and status data
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Performance data
AutoSupport supports HTTPS, HTTP, and SMTP for transport protocols. Because of the sensitive nature of AutoSupport messages, NetApp strongly recommends using HTTPS as the default transport protocol for sending AutoSupport messages to NetApp support.
In addition, you should leverage the system node autosupport modify
command to specify the targets of AutoSupport data (for example, NetApp technical support, an organization's internal operations, or partners). This command also allows you to specify what specific AutoSupport details to send (for example, performance data, log files, and so on).
To entirely disable AutoSupport, use the system node autosupport modify -state disable
command.