Network Filespace

The current service provides file storage, back-up, and restore services, managed by IT Services.

The service is available to staff and students with a UoA IT account.

Network Storage Provision

IT Services provides all UoA staff and research postgraduates with an allocation of 4GB network storage. This can be accessed via the Home (H:) drive from University PCs.
Colleges, Schools, and the University Administration all have allocated filespace. Contact local admin colleagues for further information
Postgraduate taught and undergraduate students also have additional filespace via StudentMail
Additional project or team managed file space, greater than 1/2 TB, can be provided upon request. This must be owned by a member of staff who will be responsible for ensuring that the storage is used appropriately.
Additional storage is charged at £4200 per TB (in perpetuity)

Accessing your files on campus

When connected to the campus network, you can access your shared files and folders through the following drives (Windows environment):

H:/Home drive - your personal filespace
R: drive - your College or Admin shared network storage
S: drive - Your main shared network storage
T: drive - Your main team network storage

For non-Windows users in the University Office or College of Life Sciences and Medicine, the locations will be automatically setup for you.

Other non-windows users will be advised of the correct location and how to access when access is granted.

Remote access

The University's Virtual Private Network (VPN) provides secure, authenticated access to University electronic resources

On campus, access is via the wireless networks eduroam and ResNet
Off-campus, access is via an internet connection and web browser
Requests for access to shared drives must be via the drive owner IT Service Desk.
Requests for access to applications must be via the Service Owner to the IT Service Desk

Backup & Retention Service

A backup is a copy of data that may be used to restore the original in the event that it is lost or damaged beyond repair as a result of human error, hardware failure, or major disaster

All files on your Home (H: drive) file space or shared drives are backed-up by IT Services. You should always use these drives for all business related files
Due to the volume of data, weekly and monthly backups are run on different days of the week
Requests for file restores prior to the 3rd September are governed by our previous backup strategy. Please contact the Service Desk for details.

Summary of backup policy

Period	Retention	Data protection
Nightly	14 days rolling retention	Files and folders can be restored to any nightly backed up version in the last 14 days Files or folders that are created and subsequently deleted within the 24 hour window between backups are not retained.
Weekly	12 week rolling retention	Files and folders can be restored to any weekly backed up version in the last 12 weeks Beyond 14 days, files or folders that are created and subsequently deleted within the 7 day window between backups are not retained.
Monthly (every 4 weeks)	18 month rolling retention	Files and folders can be restored to any monthly backed up version in the last 18 months Beyond 12 weeks, files or folders that are created and subsequently deleted within the 4 week window between backups are not retained.

File Restoration Service

Where a file has been deleted from the system we are able to recover to the last backed up version for a period of 18 months, with the following exclusions:-

If a file is created on day one and deleted before a weekly or monthly backup occurs that file can only be restored for the following 14 days.
If this file is only backed up to a weekly but deleted before a monthly back up is created then the file can only then be restored within the 12 week window
Requests for file restores prior to the 3rd September are governed by our previous backup strategy. Please contact the IT Service Desk for details.

We are also able to restore older copies of a file, where they exist, on the following backups.-

Last 14 nightly rolling backups.
Last 12 weekly rolling backups.
Last 18 months rolling backups.

Files will exist on these backup if they were accessed within 90 days at the point in time the backup was scheduled.

Requests for the recovery of files should be sent to the service desk and include full details of the path and file names and the preferred version to recover, e.g. nightly, weekly or monthly.

Archiving

Long term archival is a separate process from backup. Archiving is where a folder or file is set aside (not required to be regularly accessed but must be retained) for a specified period of time. For example, archiving of data may be required to meet funding body conditions, legislative requirements, or for long term comparative studies.

Large amounts of data may be archived, on request, for a specified period of time - current storage charges will apply. Where possible, research staff are encouraged to build long term archiving costs into grant applications
The archival process stores files as they are at the point of archive. This means that, on request, a file will be provided as it stood at time of archive. The file owner may have to address any future incompatibilities (e.g. software), as this is beyond the scope and control of this service

Security

Data files are kept in the IT Services managed Data Centres, with secure physical access.
Access to shared network storage is managed by IT Services granting user permission rights upon approval by the business owner of the shared filespace.

Business Continuity Management

IT Services provides C & IT disaster recovery plans and services in the event of a loss of one of the IT Services managed data centres.

Additional Services Available On Request

Additional service requests are outside our standard Service Level Descriptions (SLDs) and will be dealt with on a best endeavour basis.

Additional requests include:

Requests for large volumes of storage or storage provided for special projects outside normal University funding are dealt with on an individual basis. Please contact the Service Desk in the first instance.
VPN
- Setting up groups of users.
- Setting up shared drive access, subject to approval by the drive owner.
- Setting up remote application access, subject to approval by the service owner.
- Setting up access to other systems, subject to their being a business case.

Support and assistance

IT Services aims to acknowledge 90% of queries within 4 hours. However, during busy periods, depending on the urgency of the query, it may take up to 24 hours for a response from a member of the Service Desk team.

There are four ways of contacting the Service Desk:

Self Service www.abdn.ac.uk/servicedesk/self-service/: a call reference number is allocated and displayed on screen.
Emails to servicedesk@abdn.ac.uk: a response email is sent detailing your reference number.
Telephone calls: A team of professional staff are ready to take your call during business hours. Queries will be logged and you will be given a reference number. When the phone lines are busy or outwith opening times messages can be left on a telephone answering service.
Personal queries: Visitors to the Service Desk at Edward Wright Building and Queen Mother Library will have their query dealt with at dedicated walk in desks.

Request fulfilment

IT Services aims to action 90% of standard requests within 24 hours of acknowledgement, i.e. either resolve the call or provide a status update, with the exception of the specific items below:-