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UserLab Support Policy

1. User Support Policy

CSCS operates an advanced research infrastructure dedicated to High-Performance Computing (HPC) and other scientific applications. Our infrastructure encompasses a wide array of resources including compute, network, supporting software and tools, and several software applications used by a broad user base. Our user support policy outlines the level of assistance users can expect, the types of support offered, and the guidelines for requesting and receiving assistance.

2. Best Effort Support

CSCS is committed to offering best effort support to our users. Our goal is to provide responsive and effective assistance, ensuring the hardware and software infrastructure operates at a high level to satisfy the majority of the scientific community’s needs. However, while we will make a reasonable attempt to assist users with their inquiries, we cannot always guarantee a resolution.

Our best effort support includes the following elements:

  • Timely Responses: Users can expect an initial acknowledgment or response to their inquiry in a timely manner during regular working hours.
  • Direct Assistance: Our support staff is available to provide guidance on technical issues, configuration challenges, troubleshooting, and to offer general advice to address an issue.
  • Escalation Process: In cases where initial support efforts are insufficient to resolve an issue CSCS may, at its discretion, escalate an issue to additional staff or third-party vendors, contingent upon the availability of resources or capacity.
  • Quality Documentation: CSCS provides comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date documentation. This documentation is designed to help users understand and effectively utilize our infrastructure and services.

CSCS reserves the right to decline support for requests that fall outside the scope of the activities described in the user’s initial project allocation proposal. Support will be focused on ensuring that the resources are used in alignment with the approved objectives and goals. Requests that significantly deviate from the original proposal may not be accommodated.

3. User Applications

User applications are those brought to CSCS systems by the users, whether they are developed by the users themselves or another third-party. Packages or applications not provided by CSCS are considered user applications. Users may need to compile or adapt these applications to our system. CSCS will provide guidance on deploying applications on our systems, including configuration and optimizations of the CSCS environment. While we can assist with infrastructure-related issues, we can not configure, optimize, debug, or fix the applications themselves. Users are responsible for resolving application-specific issues themselves or contacting the respective developers.

4. Officially Supported Applications

CSCS offers a range of officially supported applications and their respective versions and configurations, which are packaged and released by CSCS or its supply partners. These packages benefit from our resources, expertise, and comprehensive documentation. They include mission-critical software chosen for their significant impact on the center’s goals, strategic projects, and wide user base. Users can expect timely assistance, troubleshooting, optimization, and integration with CSCS infrastructure for these packages. This support also extends to common tools and libraries provided by CSCS for the development and deployment of scientific applications.

While CSCS provides enhanced support for third-party software included in our officially supported applications, our ability to resolve issues is contingent on the extent of our expertise and control. Bugs or other problems that fall outside of our immediate control will be escalated to the relevant third-party vendors, but further resolution will depend on their response and capabilities, limiting our ability to fully address such issues.

5. Prioritisation Criteria

Support cases will be prioritised based on factors such as the impact on CSCS's overall mission and services, potential for knowledge transfer, degree of expertise required, and time and effort required to provide support. Issues directly concerning products and services offered by CSCS will be given higher priority.

6. Collaborative Support

The effectiveness and efficiency of our support are greatly enhanced when users work collaboratively with us. By providing thorough information users enable us to deliver more effective and timely assistance. To facilitate effective support, users are expected to:

  • Consult Documentation: Users are encouraged to review the provided documentation and indicate what they have consulted before seeking support.
  • Provide Detailed Information: Users should offer, to the best of their ability, sufficient documentation and information about their software and the issues they are experiencing. This includes detailing previous attempts to resolve the issue and any relevant error messages or logs. Clear and precise communication of the problem and steps already taken helps us diagnose and address issues more efficiently.

7. Closure of Support Tickets

Support tickets related to user applications will be closed if, after providing all feasible guidance and troubleshooting within our support scope and capacity, it is determined that the issue lies beyond the control of CSCS, such as in the user’s application code or third-party dependencies. In such cases, the ticket will be closed after the user has been informed of the situation and provided with any relevant recommendations or resources for further investigation. Users are welcome to reopen the ticket if new, actionable information becomes available.

8. Communication Channels

Users can request support through the CSCS Service Desk. Updates and communication with support staff will be provided through e-mail or via the Service Desk. Users are also encouraged to communicate with each other via our community channels. CSCS reserves the right to make other forms of communication also available.

9. Continuous Improvement

We are committed to continuously improving our support services. Feedback from users is welcomed and will be used to refine our support policies and procedures to better meet the needs of our community.

By adhering to this user support policy, we aim to ensure a consistent and satisfactory support experience for all users at CSCS.