Requesting Support#
If you need help with resources, access, data movement, or troubleshooting within the SDE, please submit a support request. Keeping the SDE secure and compliant requires everyone to use approved procedures and methods. Attempting to resolve issues through workarounds or providing unauthorized access is a violation of the Acceptable Use Policy and may result in suspension of access to the SDE.
So that we can best support you, please include:
Your SDE environment name and your PI’s name and NetID
The project in which you are working
What resource (VM, storage bucket, etc.) you are working with
Who is encountering the issue (ex. you, another user, multiple users)
Screenshots of any issues or text of warnings or errors
Submitting a request using the links below will create a Northwestern IT help ticket. You will receive an email confirmation. We will review your request and respond to the help ticket.
Managing SDE Resources#
Request changes to your SDE environment storage and compute resources. A Data Engineer should make this type of request.
Available support requests:
Additional Compute Resources (new or upgraded VMs)
Requesting software/packages be added to VMs
Storage allocation increases
User & Access Management#
Modify who can access your SDE environment or what they are allowed to do. A Data Engineer or project Principal Investigator (PI) should make this type of request.
See Working with Storage Buckets for instructions on adjusting storage permissions on storage buckets for existing SDE environment users.
Available support requests:
Add a new user to your SDE environment
Remove an existing user
Update or adjust user permissions (e.g., bucket access, project access, role changes)
When making this type of request, please indicate whether the change should apply to a role (Data Engineer, Researcher/Data Analyst) or specific user.
Data Management Support#
Assistance for importing data, exporting data, or issues with data within the SDE. A Data Engineer or project Principal Investigator (PI) should make this type of request.
Available support requests:
Support for data ingress
Support for data egress
Data Recovery (deleted data from a VM)
Troubleshooting & SDE Access Issues#
Get help if something isn’t working as expected. Please check with a project Data Engineer as a first troubleshooting step.
Examples include:
Issues accessing the SDE
VM access or login failures
Permission denied errors (storage, compute, code repository)
Software or command failures on VMs
Compliance Reporting#
Report issues that may impact security, compliance, or safe use of the enclave.
Priority Level |
When to Use |
Examples |
|---|---|---|
Critical |
Immediate risk to security or compliance |
Active breach, lost/stolen device, confirmed data leak |
High |
Potential or likely risk, needs quick attention |
Suspicious activity, unexpected data exposure |
Medium |
Planned or non-urgent compliance/security needs |
Upcoming travel requiring access, device changes |
Low |
Informational or minor updates |
Policy questions, documentation updates |
These issues must be reported:
Security incidents or suspected policy violations (e.g., unauthorized access, unexpected data exposure, suspicious activity)
Lost or compromised devices that have accessed the enclave
Upcoming international travel while needing enclave access
Anything that may impact compliance, data handling, or approved access
Include in your report:
What happened (or what is planned)
Users, systems, or devices involved
Timeline of the event or travel dates
Any mitigation taken so far (if applicable)
Other Questions and General Support#
For general questions about the SDE, please contact researchdata@northwestern.edu.