Skip to main content

CCLE-Moodle: What to try if users can't login

This article is directed at Moodle staff.

Moodle users need to authenticate using UCLA’s Shibboleth service. If there is a problem in the authentication chain, users will not be able to login. Since there is a number of steps in the chain of applications behind the CCLE, the problem could be caused by any one of a number of steps. Below is a test process; the goal is to capture information at each step and send it to the appropriate people.

Specific Use Cases are highlighted here: http://kb.ucla.edu/articles/moodle-needs-certain-shibboleth-attributes

Test Process

There are two Moodle environments:

1. Try logging into PROD yourself

  • This will tell you if the problem is with the individual user’s account or is more wide-spread

2. Try logging into DEV

  • This will tell you if the problem is specific to PROD

3. Try logging into Moodle with a local account, such as an Admin account or the janebruin test account

  • This will tell you if Moodle is partially working correctly

4. Try logging into the following Shibboleth test applications. Note: These applications only work if you are on campus or accessing the application over the VPN.

  • This will tell you if Shibboleth service is working correctly.

Who do I send the information to?
Immediately send all the information to both:

1. CCLE System Operations: Ed Sakabu (edsakabu@ucla.edu)
2. AIS Help Desk (helpdesk@ais.ucla.edu ; evening/weekend phone number: x66951)

Ideally, the e-mail will include details of the problem with supporting information such as error messages, date and time, and/or in which system (i.e., CCLE) the error occurred.

Caution: Even after this testing, the results may not be clear. In a recent episode, testers were not able to log into PROD or DEV, yet were able to confirm Shibboleth was working with WhoAmI? (The issue turned out to be a secondary Shibboleth server not acting properly.)

On Shibboleth: http://kb.ucla.edu/articles/shibboleth
Shibboleth Use Cases: http://kb.ucla.edu/articles/moodle-needs-certain-shibboleth-attributes

Back to top