Backing up Data in Research Data Management
Notes for the trainers
This safeguarding data section focuses on the backing up data. The methods are universal, only the
networked drives are backed up by UH and are therefore not transferable to other institutes.
After this introduction to backing up, you could use the Backing up Guide to demonstrate how to set up
automatic backups on the operating systems used by your audience. Selling points are given within these
notes.
Focus: Risk of Damage
Main points:
- Fire damage is unpredictable
- Damage can be expensive in recovery,
reproducing lost data, temporary buildings,
replacement equipment, and loss of work.
Highlight that data loss doesn’t need to be this
dramatic. A corrupted disk will have the same affect
– or the dreaded click of doom where a disk fails.
Focus: Loss is also a risk
Main points:
- Mobile devices are at risk of loss
- Label them so that they can be identified
without turning them on
Highlight that data may be protected, but it is still
lost. It must be backed up and not kept next to the
source – both could be damaged or stolen.
Focus: Back up options at UH
Main points:
- The UH networked drives are UH backed up.
- External hard drives and media are at risk of
damage and loss.
- Servers may be available for large datasets
(e.g. STRI).
Highlight that local machines make good local
backups but researchers should automate regular
backups.
University of Hertfordshire v1.0
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Backing up Data in Research Data Management
Notes for the trainers
Focus: Back up on Windows and Mac
Main points:
- Built in tools on Windows and Mac.
- Windows; control panel, ‘backup and
restore’ tool. Set the source and target
directories
- Mac; TimeMachine autoruns with external.
Highlight that both offer automatic encryption using
BitLocker or FireVault.
“Backup and Restore—improved for Windows 7—creates safety copies of your most important personal
files, so you're always prepared for the worst. Let Windows choose what to back up, or pick individual
folders, libraries, and drives yourself. Windows can back up files on whatever schedule you choose—just
set it and forget it. You can back up to another drive or a DVD. And if you're using the Professional or
Ultimate editions of Windows 7, you'll also have the option of backing up your files to a network.”
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/products/features/backup-and-restore
“Time Machine is the built-in backup that works with your Mac and an external drive (sold separately) or
AirPort Time Capsule. Connect the drive, tell Time Machine to use it, and relax. Time Machine automatically
backs up your entire Mac, including system files, applications, accounts, preferences, email messages,
music, photos, movies, and documents. But what makes Time Machine different from other backup
applications is that it not only keeps a spare copy of every file, it remembers how your system looked on
any given day—so you can revisit your Mac as it appeared in the past. Time Machine keeps hourly backups
for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups until your backup drive is full.”
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1427
Focus: Back up on Linux
Main points:
- Built in tool - cron.
- rsync is a command for copying new and
changed files only.
Highlight that different folders can be scheduled for
backup to different places at different times.
Command line for rsync: …/rsync/ <options>
<source directory> user@host:<target directory>.
One of the destinations may be remote, not both.
“Cron is a unix, solaris utility that allows tasks to be automatically run in the background at regular intervals
by the cron daemon. These tasks are often termed as cron jobs in Linux. Crontab (CRON TABle) is a file
which contains the schedule of cron entries to be run and at specified times.” Crontab can be used for
other commands that you want to execute regularly. Each line in the table is a separate job with the form;
17 3 * * * /usr/bin/rsync -avu /data/someuser/ /local/data/
at 03:17 every day rsync the two files
30 18 * * 0 rm /home/someuser/tmp/*
at 18:30 every Sunday, remove all temp files
In general: <min> <hour> <day-of-month> <month-of-year> <day-of-week 0=Sunday> <command>
University of Hertfordshire v1.0
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