Information and Educational Technologies provides network storage to ensure that all work related, commonly accessed and modified files are backed up and available for restoration.
High speed, high availability storage, such as our network storage systems, carry a high cost of ownership and must be managed properly. Efficient and careful allocation of resources is requisite to the college mission. Central storage management is a balance between providing a safe solution to hold essential work related data and becoming a repository for large amounts of rarely, if ever, accessed information.
Each system user is allocated 3.5 GB of network I: drive space and unlimited U: (utility) drive space upon initial account creation. The limit can and shall be increased where the business need exists. Mission critical, business related data is required to be stored on the network storage systems!
A review of the user’s storage requirements will be conducted when the limit is reached. If data is not within the guidelines for appropriate network storage use, it can be migrated to another media or deleted at the discretion of the end user. This should be done promptly. Limits can be raised to allow for this process, but will be returned to normal when it is completed. Periodic internal audits of storage use may be performed to ensure compliance with guidelines.
The amount of data on the server is proportional to the time needed to back up and restore the information. In the event of a server failure, it is important to return to normal operations as quickly as possible, which is expedited by conservative storage management policies.
Compression
Compression of data on the network drives is not supported or needed. Users are asked not to turn on compression. Turning compression on will not technically harm the system, but it will slow access time.
Data Ownership Responsibilities
System users are the custodians and owners of data that they store on the network, local drives and any other form of media including, but not limited to DVDR, CDR and CDRW, Disk on Key, external USB or firewire drives, as well as Internet storage resources. As custodians of this data, they are held responsible for compliance with Commonwealth of Virginia, the Virginia Community College System and Virginia Western policies and guidelines regarding data storage practices. As a data owner, you must know what you are storing, why you are storing it and where it is being stored. You should understand the risk of disclosure and the impact of loss of this data to your business unit!
Encryption
Information of a sensitive nature should only be encrypted using encryption techniques provided by the college’s computer systems. Use of encryption technologies on college business data that are not capable of being reversed by administrative processes authorized by IET is strictly prohibited.