Support - How Do I . . .?
File Backup
At Denison, Computing Services works very hard to protect your files. Despite that effort, it is very possible for individuals to store files in unsafe places. It is your responsibility to protect your work. Automated backup methods vary greatly from Mac to PC so if you use more than one system, be sure you understand how to protect your work.
Novell File Servers
The best way to keep your information safe on campus is to use the Novell file system. Every person on campus has private workspace on the Novell servers. Only you and the network administrator can access your Novell space, but the campus policy on security and privacy dictates that the network administrator does not view or modify your files; the administrator will only look through your files if you have contacted the Computing Services Help Desk for help with restoring a missing or damaged file. Novell has many other advantages. It scans your files for viruses automatically and protects your data in case of a power outage or network disturbance. Archive tapes used to backup the Novell servers are stored in a fireproof vault in a separate building on campus.
Burned CDs
The best do-it-yourself method of data backups is to burn your files on a CD. By etching your work in plastic, you have a portable, easily accessible archive of your work. This is a great method of archiving your work if you use a laptop. If you are off campus or anywhere without access to the Denison network, CDs are the best form of data security. This is also one of the easiest ways to share your work with friends and coworkers. Most computers on campus come equipped with CD burners. They are also available in the public labs at Denison.
Pen Drives
Pen Drives are a fairly new technology that is wonderful for transferring files between computers and for short term file backups. New computers come with pen drives, and they can be purchased from the Denison Bookstore.
File Compression
To fit more information onto a CD for backup purposes, you may wish to compress your files first. Once you have a compressed archive of your files, you can burn that archive to a CD.
Macintosh The two built in tools, Disk Copy and DropZip, can compress your files for archiving or easy distribution. Note that Disk Copy is not compatible with Windows computers, so if you intend to share files with a Windows machine, you should use DropZip.
Disk Copy is located in /Applications/Utilities/. To compress files, drag the files you want to compress to the program window. You will be asked where to save the new archive and if you want to use compression and encryption.
DropZip is located in /Applications/Utilities/Stuffit Standard/. To compress files, drag the files you want to compress to the program window. A new archive will be put it in the same place as the files you compressed.
Windows For Windows 2000, navigate to the files you wish to compress. From the file menu choose New > Compressed (zipped) Folder. This creates a new empty folder. Anything that you move into this folder will be compressed. For Windows XP, right click on the folder and select Send to Compressed (zipped) folder. A new compressed folder of the files will be created.
Do Not Use...
Floppy Disks are the worst possible way of storing files. Floppies are prone to data loss at any given time. Now that floppies are being phased out of existence, it is getting harder to find a floppy drive to read your disks. Any wanted files you currently have on floppies should be moved.
Zip disks are more stable than floppy disks; however, they are now very hard to find. Zip 100 disks can still be read in a few places on the campus, but Zip 250s and larger capacities are almost nonexistent. Any wanted files you currently have on zip disks should be moved.