EMC E-Lab Navigator is an online query tool that provides direct access to comprehensive E-Lab interoperability information. This is the detailed knowledge generated by E-Lab testing of individual storage components and complete end-to-end configurations. EMC’s E-Lab pushes the limits of storage network product functionality, performance, and scalability. Then it provides customers with information access through E-Lab Navigator. Any registered users on support.emc.com can access E-Lab Navigator (https://elabnavigator.emc.com/). EMC is willing to provide this breadth and depth of information for free, to serve more customers.

Besides E-Lab, EMC also uses “EMC Support Matrix” (ESM) to deliver such kind of information. However, E-Lab can provide more information than a single document, more valuable, up-to-date (monthly update) and specific. That’s why we developed E-Lab Navigator.

Through E-Lab Navigator, users can get the following information:

·         Which products have passed the tests, and can work normally with other products.

·         Places where you can ask for help, to get the support from the suppliers.

E-Lab has several basic access modes:

1.     ESM and ESSM

Under PDFs and Guides category, there is a collection of printable resources for reference or download, including EMC Support Matrix (ESM) and Host Connectivity guides. The EMC Support Matrix is a complete guide to interoperable, and supportable, configurations. But it is only a subset of the E-Lab Interoperability Navigator database. Host Connectivity guides are for complete, authoritative information on how to configure hosts effectively for various storage environments.

Under Simple Support Matrix category, there are EMC supported configurations represented in a simplified format (EMC Simple Support Matrix, ESSM). All supported configuration information for each major product is available below. We recommend that you read Simple Support Matrix first. For software not covered by the ESSM categories, please continue to look in E-Lab Navigator (Wizard or Advanced) and the Product Guides for complete support information.

2.     Advanced Query

"Advanced" mode provides a method to refine your search against the support matrix and helps to reduce unnecessary information gathering for the final document.

Click Advanced Query to get into “Advanced” mode. The "left" side of the tool listing categories such as: "Home, Software, Server, Connectivity, Storage or Other." When the cursor is placed over these words, sub-categories will appear. You can also use the "Search" field, which might save some time if you want to approximate a spelling of an item such as a host model of some kind.

At this stage and throughout your E-Lab Navigation, will be selectable boxes next to desired items to query against. Once the boxes are checked, then "Add to Cart" - which will be the way to populate the "Search Cart" on the right hand side of the tool screen.

From there and below the "Search Cart" box, will be the results. Either select individual items with a green arrow icon (Green means getting supporting results under the specific configuration type) or "All Support Statements" that encompasses all qualified and product statements found based on the search criteria provided. A new window will then pop up that can be reviewed as it presents itself, or, select the PDF icon on the upper right of that window for another copy in PDF format to save as a file with searching, etc.

If a green arrow icon does not appear in results, it indicates a non-conforming situation or too many hits (sometime happens when a host model isn't entered. Moving the cursor over that icon will tell you. Take some items out of the "Search Cart" with the 'trash can' removal icon, possibly to just include the Storage model and Operating System; however, will reveal many combinations of HBA's, host model's, etc., that are qualified.

3.     Extended Support

Under Extended Support category, there are some EMC supported configurations for extended solutions that are not listed in the main support matrix. These configurations are usually frozen configurations and continue to be supported using only the exact revisions and requirements as listed in each document. Extended solutions are divided into three categories:

·         Specialized Configurations – combinations of current products

·         End-of-Life Configurations – EOL/EOSL products with limited remaining support capacity

·         New Configurations – eligible early support for configurations targeted for inclusion in an upcoming main matrix publication. These will be removed once added to the main matrix publication.

Under Topology Resource Center category, there is a collection of EMC networked storage topology TechBooks and Reference Manuals available for download.

4.     Solutions and Wizards

Click Solutions and Wizards to get into “Wizards” mode, Select a Wizard from a drop down which wizard that you want to use.

After you have filled out the Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3, and so on in the Wizards Tab, you can combine the results.  Click "Get Results" and then "Combined Results" to get to the results of EMC Support Statements.

5.     Errata

As the title says, it’s a collection of the corrections of the E-Lab Navigator data. This information supersedes any content found in E-Lab Navigator and related documents.

Author: Roger

             

iEMC APJ

Please click here for for all contents shared by us.