Students, Safeguard your IS!
dwaldron February 24th, 2009
Spring break—and IS Monday—are rapidly approaching. Each year, several students experience the loss of data or portions of their IS as the result of technical difficulties. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) strongly encourages students to make backup copies of their independent study documents. Here we offer a few suggestions as to how you can safeguard your IS and related documents.
- Network storage is provided to all students on campus. Because this network storage is backed up on a regular basis, this is an ideal place to put current copies of IS documents. Information on how to access this storage space from anywhere on campus is available on the IT documentation page. Network storage space can be accessed from off-campus using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection. Information on connecting to VPN can also be found on the IT website.
- In addition to storing a copy of your IS in your network storage space, OIT recommends that you also create copies on CD’s or USB flash drives. Having multiple copies on multiple devices in multiple locations enhances your protection.
- Students and others sometimes email documents to themselves as a way of creating backup copies. OIT strongly suggests that you not rely upon the email system in this fashion.
- Do not rely on copies of your IS documents or data stored on lab computers.
- Make sure to associate version dates with each copy of your valuable documents so that you know when each was last updated.
- If your IS involves large multimedia files, invest in an external storage device. Inexpensive external hard drives can be purchased at any electronics store like Best Buy. Please keep in mind that such devices can and do fail. Make sure that you have multiple copies of all critical documents on multiple devices.
More useful information can be found at http://www.wooster.edu/technology/is.php. This includes instructions for submitting the electronic copy of your IS and a MicroSoft Word survival guide.
Feel free to stop by the student help desk in Andrews Library for assistance with backing up copies of your independent study. You can also reach the student help desk by phone at extension 4357 (HELP!).