FAQ - CoESRA Frequently Asked Questions

What Browser do I need to use to access CoESRA?

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Currently, CoESRA is being tested extensively in the Google Chrome and Firefox browsers.

The preferred browser for using CoESRA is Google Chrome.

How do I get an account?

You can create a TERN account by clicking the “Sign-in“ button in the top right of the website. You can use your AAF, CILogon, or Google credentials. You can also use your institutional Microsoft credentials.

Do I need to pay for the service?

No, access to and use of the platform is free of cost. 

Users need to agree to the Terms of Use and register a free account using one of the sign in service options.

How can I copy and paste inside a CoESRA virtual desktop?

Copying and paste inside the CoESRA virtual desktop works exactly the same way as it does on a physical personal computer.

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For users with Windows installed on their physical personal computer, use the same shortcut keys: the ctrl+c (copy) and ctrl+v (paste) keys on the keyboard.

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For Mac users, the shortcut keys are different: use ctrl+c (copy) and ctrl+v (paste)
keys on the keyboard within the CoESRA virtual desktop.

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For Linux users, use the same shortcut keys: the ctrl+c (copy) and ctrl+v (paste) keys on the keyboard.

Can I copy and paste from my local computer into the virtual desktop?

Yes, you can copy and paste from your local computer into the virtual desktop.

Open the File Transfer tab on the right side of the desktop window. The panel that opens contains a text input box where you can copy and paste text content from your local computer. You will then need to use the copy function a second time (ctrl+c) to copy the text data to the virtual machine’s clipboard. Finally, close the File Transfer tab, activate the software application within the virtual machine that you wish to paste the text data from the clipboard into, and press ctrl+v to paste.

How long can I hold my desktop?

The default time period that a desktop session remains available is 5 days.

If for any reason you require access to a single desktop session for a longer period of time, you may select a custom number of days in the Settings (up to a maximum of 15 days).

Once your session expires or you stop your virtual desktop, all the data written on the file system is persistent and will be available for future use. You can always launch another virtual desktop at a later time to access your data.

Do I get my own separate storage space?

Yes, when you first use CoESRA you will be allocated a public and private home folder where you can store your own data and workflows. Both folders are are persistent and will be available every time you launch a virtual desktop.

How can I access my system usage status?

Once logged into CoESRA, access the Desktop Dashboard and click the Usage History tab. Each previous session will be displayed with its duration and configuration settings.

Is the system accessible all the time?

The CoESRA system is built on QRISCloud, any outage or maintenance shutdown of the QRISCloud will affect accessibility to the CoESRA virtual desktop. We try our best to ensure that users are notified of scheduled service outages in advance.