> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.openiam.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.openiam.com/troubleshooting/getting-help.md).

# Getting help and escalating

When to resolve an issue yourself versus escalate to OpenIAM support, and exactly what to collect before you open a ticket.

When something goes wrong, a little triage up front decides whether you can fix it in minutes or should hand it to support with everything they need. This page is that triage: self-resolve first, know when to escalate, and gather the right diagnostics before you do.

## Self-resolve first

Most issues are already covered somewhere in the portal. Before escalating:

1. **Run the health snapshot** in [Diagnostics](/installation/diagnostics.md) and read its symptom index. It identifies the dozen faults that account for most cases, and tells you which tier is at fault before you start guessing.
2. **Find the log that would record it** — [Which log answers which question](/administration-guide/operations/which-log-to-read.md) maps a symptom to the service that writes it.
3. **Check the area that owns the problem** — the [routing table on the Troubleshooting index](/troubleshooting/troubleshooting.md#when-you-know-the-symptom) says where each kind of problem is documented, which is often outside this section.
4. **For an error an end user sees** — sign-in, MFA, a request, or SSO — go straight to [SelfService and login error messages](/troubleshooting/signing-in/selfservice-and-login-errors.md).

## Self-resolve vs. escalate

| Lean toward self-resolving when…                                                                        | Escalate when…                                                                                                      |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| The symptom index or a troubleshooting page names your exact error, with a fix.                         | The behaviour contradicts the documentation, or no documented cause fits.                                           |
| One service is unhealthy and its log points to a clear, local cause (disk, memory, a bad config value). | The issue spans services, recurs after the documented fix, or you suspect a defect.                                 |
| The change is reversible and low-risk (restart a service, correct a property, free disk space).         | A fix would touch data integrity, security, or production availability and you are unsure.                          |
| It is reproducible and isolated to your configuration.                                                  | You have a production outage or a security concern — escalate immediately, in parallel with your own investigation. |

## Before you open a ticket, collect this

Having these ready in the first message avoids a round-trip and speeds resolution:

* **OpenIAM version** — from the [About OpenIAM page](/administration-guide/platform/system-configuration.md) (or the `version` file in the install directory).
* **Deployment type** — RPM or Kubernetes, and whether it is single-node or clustered.
* **What happened** — the exact error message or code, what you did to trigger it, and the approximate **timestamp** (so logs can be correlated).
* **Reproduction steps** — the minimal sequence that reproduces it, and whether it is consistent or intermittent.
* **Relevant service logs** — around the timestamp. [Which log answers which question](/administration-guide/operations/which-log-to-read.md) maps symptoms to services; [Diagnostics](/installation/diagnostics.md) has a script that collects the whole set in one go.
* **Health-check output** — the current status from the [health checks](/administration-guide/lifecycle/verify-connection.md).
* **Audit entries** — for a provisioning, login, or request problem, the audit record for the affected user or action.
* **Scope and impact** — how many users are affected and whether production is down (this drives priority).

{% hint style="info" %}
Redact secrets before sharing. Never include plaintext passwords, tokens, API keys, or private certificates in logs or screenshots attached to a ticket.
{% endhint %}

## Where to escalate

Open a support request through your OpenIAM **customer portal** at [help.openiam.com/knowledge](https://help.openiam.com/knowledge), which also hosts the knowledge base and product downloads. Use the support channel and severity levels defined in your organization's OpenIAM support agreement; attach the diagnostics from the checklist above.


---

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