Dell Unity: Arrays running 5.3.0 code with SupportAssist enabled may experience Storage Processor (SP) panics after ~2 months uptime (User Correctable)

Workaround Option #1:
Restarting SupportAssist when the number of zombie curl processes has become high will clear them out and prevent an SP panic from occurring. The recommended threshold for restarting SupportAssist is 5,000. The commands for checking the number of zombie (defunct) curl processes and restarting SupportAssist are shown below.

14:01:20 service@none spb:~/user# ps -ef |grep curl|grep defunct|wc -l
4702    <----------------Current Number of zombie curl processes

14:01:52 service@none spb:~/user# svc_supportassist --restart
Restart in progress........Completed!

14:03:59 service@none spb:~/user# svc_supportassist --status
State: Running
Type: Connect through a gateway server
Connectivity: Reachable
Primary gateway: https://1.2.3.4:9443 (Reachable)
Remote Access: Yes
RSC Enabled: No
Version: 4.7.7.21
Initialized: Yes
Proxy mode: none

14:04:22 service@none spb:~/user# ps -ef |grep curl|grep defunct|wc -l
0   <----------------- Number of zombie curl processes after SupportAssist restart

Workaround Option #2:
A new UDoctor script (udoctor_update_supportassist) has been developed and is being made available to connected Unity arrays in a staggered rollout.  If accepted and installed, the new Udoctor script will clear any zombie (defunct) curl processes and also prevent the accumulation of any new zombie (defunct) curl processes in the future. 

The UDoctor script is pushed automatically to systems which have callhome enabled and which call home and indicate they have 5.3.0 installed.  In the past, priority was given to systems which had high numbers of zombie processes, but that priority has been eliminated and we are now accelerating the rollout to all systems which connect home indicating 5.3.0.   Once the package has been pushed to your system, you will see an alert similar to the one shown:



UDoctor packages are used to apply targeted updates, workarounds, and configuration changes to the Unity array, independent of a full software OE upgrade.  

Reference knowledge article Dell Unity: UDoctor package (xxxxxx) is now available for installation. (User Correctable) for how to identify if a new UDoctor package is available and how to accept and install a new UDoctor package.

NOTE 1:
When an upgrade (NDU) of the Unity OE is performed it will overwrite any changes made by the UDoctor package.  This means when the software fix becomes available in a new Unity OE release, a standard NDU can be performed and no additional steps are required.

NOTE 2: 
There is no way to override the inventory/push process and force the UDoctor package to be pushed to any particular Unity system.  The inventory/push process occurs weekly.  For customers who desire the fix sooner, the correct solution is to upgrade to Unity OE version 5.3.1.0.5.008 (5.3 SP1).  Alternatively, customers can utilize the other workarounds listed above.