Preventing Common Causes of loss

Common Causes of Loss of Data

Accidental Erasure– close a file and don’t save it,– write over the original file when you meant to save it

as something else.Prevention:– Anything you don’t want to lose should be backed up

onto some external medium– insurance policies don’t cover this type of loss.– have all users’ directories reside on the network so

that data is backed up automatically

Limitation:– The only limitation here is the amount of memory

storage capacity allocated to each person or account.

Viruses and WormsHow they invade our computer?

• virus invades your e-mail program, causing your computer to send out messages with the same attachment to everyone in your address book

• attach to program files, causing the programs to perform improperly.

• others infect DOS files, corrupting the operating system and requiring many hours of work to reformat the hard drive.

• Prevention:

• Other computer viruses are called worms• Removing the worm includes reformatting the

hard drive and restoring all the programs and files.

• If you haven’t backed up your files and programs, you will have to re-create them, a most time-consuming chore.

Power and Telecommunications Outages

• Power Outages

• Prevention:

• A problem with auto-backup

TELECOMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES

Prevention:

• If there is a sustained loss of telecommunications or power, your institution should declare a “disaster” with your data storage/backup service provider and activate your disaster response plan for computer services.

Regular Backup Procedures

• The whole idea behind data and program backup is to prevent loss of data from the computer system when the server or network crashes.

• The reconstruction of data is time-consuming and extremely expensive

Method of Backup– Incremental backup

• Data Mirroring– Replication:

1. Back up or replicate on a second drive in the same cabinet

2. Replication would be to have another drive or server in a different machine or power grid.

3. highest level of replication is across geographical areas

issues to consider:1. the time it takes to recover the data and how

much data loss you can live with2. The time it takes to get the operations back

up and running.

• What type of backup method do you choose for your institution, building, network, or office?

• depends upon the resources (people, equipment, and money) your organization has, and how critical the data and the computer operations are to the survival of our institution

Backup Media• There are several choices depending upon the

amount of data you have, the frequency of backup, and how critical the data is to the survival of your institution

• What backup media are often use?

Remember:• You should have copies or originals of these

stored somewhere safe and off-site.

Keeping Up with the Changes

Software“What happens if you lose your data in a major server or network crash and it turns out that there isn’t a current backup for the software. In fact, the software that you were using was the newest version of some program, and the computer center can’t find that version and must use the previous one. Do you realize that you cannot open current data files with older software versions?”

• it is important to keep up with software changes

• It isn’t essential to purchase every upgrade, but pay attention to the industry

Operating SystemsWhat operating system are you using today?

• Your computer services department staff needs to document the changes in operating systems, as does your records manager.

Hardware• The protection of hardware should include

preventing obsolescence.• When you deaccession the hardware, make

certain the hard drives are clean data by reformatting the disk, not just deleting the data.

• What if your computer system is running old computer software on old computer equipment and you can’t afford to upgrade?

Protecting Your Assets

On-Site Storage• Fireproof cabinets are designed for paper

documents, and in some cases microfilm and microfiche. Fireproof cabinets are usually rated at 1,500–2,000º F. Magnetic media will begin to melt at 125ºF

• The same goes for safes; they won’t keep the magnetic media from melting.

Access to Backup Data• Where do you store the backups?• How much of the system is on the backup tapes? And how often is

it backed up?• Do you store the tapes on top of the computer, in a “fireproof”

cabinet in the room (both bad ideas), at home, in a physical data storage vault, in the car, with a vendor, at the bank?

• At what point do you send the backups from on-site or local storage to remote storage?

• Who can get access to the backups?• Can you load the backups in a remote location or access the data

from an alternative computing center?

Off-Site Storage• Data should be transferred off-site on a very

regular basis.• Often organizations will keep the most recent

backup in their office or a nearby building, and then ship the backup tapes to the remote storage facility once a week.

• Options for transferring the data off-site:– physically take it or have it delivered to your

storage facility– send the data to a remote data storage facility via

the Web, phone lines, or FTP depending upon how much data you have and where the facility is located.

– Remote backup businesses can also describe their service as data vaulting

Data Storage Service Providers• (Appendix B, Protecting Your Library’s Digital

Sources)

Hot, Cold, and Mobile Recovery Sites• “Hot sites” are facilities that are completely

wired together with the hardware that your organization needs to get its information services up and running quickly.

• Organizations contract with these facilities to provide technical support should a disaster be declared

• “Cold sites” are wired computer rooms without the hardware. These facilities are usually rented when the computer staff needs a long-term facility from which to operate.

• Mobile recovery. These facilities are movable trailers that are wired for telecommunications or have satellite communications for the user