FAQ
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Answers for rollout, purchase, scanning, and support.
Use the topic list on the left, open the exact question you need, and move to docs or search when the answer points to a deeper workflow.
Docs > Troubleshooting & FAQ > Common Questions
Use this page when you need a short answer first, then follow the linked setup, API, security, or troubleshooting page.
Getting Started
The quickest questions usually come first. Open a row to see the answer.
How many cloud providers does Cloud Waste Scanner support? +
Cloud Waste Scanner currently supports 47 providers with one local-first scanning workflow and a shared provider runtime directory. Check the Providers Directory for exact coverage.
Does Cloud Waste Scanner support API and automation workflows? +
Yes. Use the API Center, API Reference, and API Playbooks when the rollout includes notification routing, scheduled scans, or local automation.
Can scan results be exported for weekly governance reviews? +
Yes. Export PDF or CSV evidence packs, assign owners, and use the same output in weekly review meetings. The workflow is outlined in Weekly Rhythm.
High-Intent Questions
These are the questions buyers and operators usually ask right before evaluation or rollout.
Trial
Start with one account, one report, one owner loop.
That is enough to validate routing, permissions, report quality, and whether the team will actually act on findings.
Support
Logs matter more than screenshots.
Send app version, UTC time, provider, proxy mode, and the relevant cws.log lines. Support can move faster with that than with a vague failure note.
Evidence-Backed Q&A
Use these when legal, finance, or security asks for concrete references before rollout.
What is Cloud Waste Scanner in one sentence? +
Cloud Waste Scanner is a local-first cloud cost governance product that finds likely waste and helps teams execute weekly cleanup decisions with exportable evidence. Sources: Home, Documentation.
Where is provider coverage documented? +
Use the Providers Directory for runtime names and credential references. Start from that page when your team validates support scope before onboarding accounts.
Where can we verify credential custody statements? +
See Security and Local-first architecture for trust-boundary statements used during security review.
Where is the weekly operating loop defined? +
Use Governance Operating Model and the weekly rhythm guide to define owner assignment and review cadence.
Where is the restricted-network rollout method? +
Use proxy setup playbook plus Troubleshooting flow for stage-by-stage diagnostics.
Where is API coverage documented for automation review? +
Start with API Center, then confirm endpoint behavior in API Reference and execution patterns in API Playbooks.
Where is report handoff documented for review meetings? +
See Reports for PDF/CSV usage, then align meanings with Metrics Definition.
What is the minimum first evaluation package? +
Run one baseline scan on one account, export one report, and assign one owner list. This package is enough to validate deployment fit before wider rollout. Sources: Getting Started, Pricing.
Security & Privacy
Do my credentials leave my device?+
No. Cloud credentials stay local. Scans run from your environment to the provider APIs directly.
What permission scope should I use?+
Use read-only permissions for discovery and reporting. If you plan to execute cleanup, grant write permission only to the resource types you intentionally want the tool to touch.
Do you store my cloud inventory on your backend?+
No sensitive provider inventory is uploaded in the default workflow. The hosted side mainly handles licensing, checkout, support, and telemetry used to keep the product stable.
Plans & Billing
What is included in Trial versus paid plans?+
Trial is for fast evaluation with capped scans and lighter visibility. Community is production-usable for local-first operations. Team ($199/year, up to 5 users) and Enterprise ($4,999/year site license) are listed with waitlist onboarding on the Pricing page.
Why might a license show as trial or expired unexpectedly?+
This is usually a local key-state issue, an activation mismatch, or a stale validation state. Refresh the license state first. If it still looks wrong, support can reconcile it by purchase email and order reference.
What identifiers should I keep for billing support?+
Keep the purchase email and the order reference. Those two fields are enough for refund lookup, recovery, and entitlement checks.
Scans & Results
Why does test connection pass but scan fail?+
Connection test only checks lightweight access. Full scans call more APIs, more regions, and more resource classes. Failures can still appear later because of proxy routes, DNS, region scope, or missing permissions.
Do scans include ESG output?+
Yes. Reports can include cost impact and estimated CO2e reduction so one evidence pack can support both cost review and sustainability reporting.
Why do some provider sections show fewer findings than expected?+
If a check times out or a permission path fails, the report can show partial coverage. Use diagnostics and rerun after fixing the failing stage.
Does Cloud Waste Scanner support Kubernetes object-level governance today?+
Yes. Cloud Waste Scanner supports local-first, read-only Kubernetes scanning through local
kubectl. It can list kubeconfig contexts, scan pods, nodes, workloads, services, PersistentVolumes, and PersistentVolumeClaims, then expose Kubernetes findings, governance summaries, and action plans through the Local API. Advanced allocation and shared workflow layers remain planned for Team and Enterprise. See Kubernetes API reference and Kubernetes scope by lane.Notifications & Automation
Why did notification test succeed but scan completion sent nothing?+
A test only proves the channel can receive a message. Scan-complete delivery still depends on the notification mode and trigger conditions. If the mode is set to only notify when savings are found, a zero-savings scan will skip delivery on purpose.
Can I choose different proxies per notification channel?+
Yes. Channel-level proxy assignment is supported, including authenticated proxies where that route is available.
How can I confirm webhook events are received?+
Open the admin transactions and email delivery views. You can verify event type, status, retries, and the downstream action that followed.
Performance & Troubleshooting
Why can download speed vary so much by region?+
Routing quality changes by geography and ISP. CWS keeps multiple download endpoints and prefers the best path available while preserving a fallback path.
What logs should I provide for diagnosis?+
Include app version, UTC timestamp, provider, proxy mode, and the relevant
cws.log lines. For scan issues, add the failing stage or reason code if the UI shows one.How should I validate proxy issues?+
Run one direct test, then run the same account through the proxy profile and compare which stage fails. That isolates whether the issue is inside the tunnel or at the provider endpoint.
Admin Analytics
Why does admin refresh sometimes feel slower on deep pages?+
Dashboard requests stay lighter. Deeper analytics tabs need heavier aggregation, so they load on demand instead of blocking the first screen.
Why can metrics differ across cards and tables?+
Some cards aggregate by session windows, others by IP, machine, or event family. Use the Metrics Definition page when you need the exact counting rule.
How do I avoid forced re-login on transient network issues?+
Recent admin flows distinguish real unauthorized responses from transient transport failures. If the network just hiccups, retry should usually keep the session alive instead of forcing a logout.
Refunds & Support
What is your refund window?+
Paid plans include a 14-day money-back policy. The full wording is on the Refund Policy page.
What should I include in a refund request?+
Send the purchase email, order reference, plan, and a short reason. That is enough for support to locate the transaction quickly.
How do I contact support?+
Email service@cloud-waste-scanner.com. For technical issues, add diagnostics and log lines so support can reproduce the failure instead of guessing.
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