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As Lab employees increasingly rely on their computers for almost all aspects
of their work, having a reliable way to back up files can avoid losing months
or years of work and the ensuing struggle to recreate the data. According
to Chapter
9.02.C.4.d. of the Lab's Regulations and Procedures Manual, responsibility
for protecting data rests with the owner of the data.
Rosemary Evanoff, head of the Computing Infrastructure Support Department,
likens a backup service to an insurance policy. In both cases, common
questions are What will it cost and Is it worth it? To protect against
accidentally erasing or deleting a file, making backup copies on your
computer may suffice. To protect against your system or hard drive failing,
making copies on another medium, such as a tape or disk, is needed. Protecting
your data against total loss of your computer, as could happen in a fire
or earthquake, requires offsite storage of all backed up files.
The centralized backup services currently provided by CIS for PCs, Macs,
UNIX and Linux computers provide regular reliable updating of all data
files on a separate medium, a copy of which is stored in a protected offsite
location. However, fewer than 900 on-site computers are currently protected
in this manner. For more information about secure backup services, visit
the CIS page.
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J A N U A R Y