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Getting Help and Support

🎯 Support Resources Overview

Find the help you need:

  • Self-service: Documentation, troubleshooting guides, and FAQs
  • Community: User discussions, office hours, and peer assistance
  • Direct support: Help from CANFAR platform specialists
  • Emergency: Rapid response for critical incidents

The CANFAR Science Platform offers several ways to get assistance. Start with self-service resources, then move to community channels or direct support as needed.

🚀 Quick Start for Support

New to CANFAR?

Having Problems?

📚 Self-Help Resources

  • Documentation search: Use the search box or browse by topic
  • Concepts: Platform architecture and terminology
  • Storage: Managing data effectively
  • Containers: Using and building software environments
  • Interactive Sessions: Jupyter, Desktop, CARTA, Firefly
  • Batch Jobs: Automated and large-scale processing

🔧 Troubleshooting

Quick Checks

  1. Confirm there are no current maintenance announcements
  2. Try Chrome or Firefox and clear the browser cache
  3. Use a private/incognito window to rule out extensions
  4. Verify your network connection is stable

Frequent Issues

Session won't start

  • Lower memory or CPU requests and retry
  • Try a different container image or launch time
  • Ensure your account has the required group memberships

Cannot access files

# Check locations and permissions
ls /arc/home/[user]/
ls /arc/projects/[project]/
ls -la /arc/projects/[project]/
getfacl /arc/projects/[project]/
  • Confirm the path and project name
  • Verify you belong to the correct project group
  • Contact the project administrator if permissions are missing

Performance feels slow

  • Monitor resource usage with htop
  • Close unused applications and tabs
  • Use /scratch/ for temporary, high-I/O workloads
  • Submit a support request if performance remains degraded

Browser quirks

  • Stick to Chrome or Firefox and keep them updated
  • Enable JavaScript and cookies for canfar.net
  • Disable ad blockers or privacy extensions for the site

Gather Information Before Asking for Help

Run these commands to capture context for a support request:

# Platform status
canfar info [session-id]
canfar stats

# Session details
echo $USER
groups
env | grep -E "(CANFAR|SKAHA)"

📧 Contact Support

When to Reach Out

Email support@canfar.net when you encounter:

  • Account issues: Login failures, certificate problems, group membership
  • Technical problems: Persistent errors, failed sessions, system outages
  • Data concerns: Missing files, data corruption, recovery requests
  • Resource changes: Requests for additional storage, CPU, or RAM
  • Software help: Complex installations or container customization

What to Include

Provide clear, specific details to speed up triage:

  • Subject: Short summary of the problem
  • Contact: CANFAR username and email
  • Timeline: Date and time (with timezone) when the issue occurred
  • Environment: Session type, container, operating system, browser
  • Steps to reproduce: Numbered list of actions leading to the issue
  • Observed vs expected: What happened and what you expected
  • Error output: Copy exact error text and attach screenshots when available
  • What you tried: Mention any workarounds attempted

Expected Response Times

Priority Response Time Examples
Critical Same day System outages, data loss, security issues
High 1–2 business days Session failures, access problems
Normal 2–3 business days General questions, documentation requests
Low 3–5 business days Feature requests, enhancement suggestions

Escalation

If a ticket is not progressing within the expected timeframe:

  1. Reply to the original email and add "URGENT" to the subject
  2. Share any new details or screenshots gathered since the initial report
  3. For emergencies, follow the contacts listed in 🚨 Emergency Contacts

👥 Community Support

Discord

Join the CANFAR Discord for real-time conversations with other users and staff.

  • Search existing threads before posting
  • Use the channel that matches your topic
  • Share concise questions and relevant context
  • Never publish sensitive data or credentials

GitHub

Use GitHub Issues to track bugs, suggest enhancements, or contribute documentation updates.

  • Reference related documentation pages or example workflows
  • Tag issues appropriately (e.g., bug, documentation, feature-request)
  • Follow up on discussions to confirm fixes or add clarifications

🐛 Helpful Bug Reports

Before Filing

  1. Search the documentation and FAQ for related answers
  2. Look for existing issues on GitHub to avoid duplicates
  3. Ask quick questions on Discord if you are unsure whether something is a bug

What Maintainers Need

  • Clear, descriptive title
  • Environment details (OS, browser, session type, container)
  • Steps to reproduce, numbered and complete
  • Expected result versus what actually happened
  • Complete error output and supporting screenshots or logs
  • Notes on any temporary workarounds you discovered

This template can help structure a report:

## Bug Description
[Short summary]

## Environment
- OS: [...]
- Browser: [...]
- Session Type: [...]
- Container: [...]

## Steps to Reproduce
1. [...]
2. [...]

## Expected Behavior
[...]

## Actual Behavior
[...]

## Error Messages
```text
[Paste exact text]

Screenshots

If applicable, add screenshots to help explain the problem.

Additional Context

[Anything else that helps] ```

After submitting, monitor the issue for follow-up questions, provide additional details promptly, and test proposed fixes when available.

🚨 Emergency Contacts

System Outages

  • Planned maintenance notices go out at least 48 hours in advance via email and Discord
  • For unexpected outages, email support@canfar.net and request a status update

Critical Data Issues

  1. Stop affected jobs or sessions immediately
  2. Document what happened and when
  3. Email support@canfar.net with URGENT in the subject
  4. Preserve files and logs so recovery is possible

Daily snapshots of /arc/ storage are retained for 30 days; support can coordinate point-in-time recovery when necessary.

Security Incidents

  1. Revoke and reissue credentials right away
  2. Report the incident to support@canfar.net
  3. Describe what you observed, including timestamps and IP addresses if known
  4. Follow instructions from the security team before resuming activity

📝 Contributing

Documentation is community-driven. If you spot something to improve:

  1. Browse the source on GitHub
  2. Follow the contribution guidelines in CONTRIBUTING.md
  3. Submit a pull request or open an issue describing the change

For help getting started, ask in Discord or email support@canfar.net.