Backups Policy

Backup policy

The Technion Central backup system  provides backup and restore services. It serves the central systems of the CIS Division. The service is free.

[1] This policy in effect since 2014. Till the end of 2013 – maintaining was done for six months.

 

For computers defined critical – a copy of the last monthly backup is kept in a secure remote site.

Backup policy for faculty servers and academic/administrative staff PCs is determined according to the customers needs in the framework of the service existing possibilities. This service is done for fee, as specified CIS Division pricelist.

 

PC Backup

What is backed-up

inSync Software  by Druva, designed specifically for laptops, backs up the existing information in the folders chosen by the PC owner. In addition, the software has the ability to backup different email files like PST (files saving Outlook emails), enabling a single item restore.

The software backs up information only and is not intended to restore your operating system.

 

Backup scheduling

The first backup is a full backup of the specified folders, and requires the computer to be connected to the Technion network(from within the Technion). Further backups can be done from anywhere in the world via the Internet. These backups are of information changes only (incremental), so that the backup process is short and possible from every network, including slow wireless networks.

Backups are set to be performed every 8 hours when the computer is connected to the Internet. If the computer is disconnected from the network, is will be backed up next time it connects to the Internet.

 

Saving backups (retention)

Daily backups (three times daily) are kept for 30 days.

Weekly backups (once a week) are kept for 6 months.

That is, if a file is changing every day, its last 90 versions are maintained (30 days X 3 times a day), and 25 weekly versions of the last half year (6 months X 4 versions a month).

 

How do we know if the backup was successful?

Please check your backups in the InSync Software by selecting Restore in the software  user interface, as described in the instructions.

 

Servers Backup

What is backed-up

By default, we back up all the local disks of a computer on the backup service.  NFS (Network File System) files in Unix/Linux systems and network drives in MS Windows are not backed up by default. You can back them up in case there is no way to access them as a local disk from another computer. In this case, please specify it explicitly on the registration form .
You can also request a partial backup of the data on the computer, such as a specific drive or just certain folders on the server.  In such a case, it should also be explicitly specified  on the registration form.

 

Backup scheduling

Backups are done at night and on weekends, since the backup loads the access to the disks and slows the work. In exceptional cases, where the computer owner is used to turn it off at the end of the day or prior to weekends, we perform the backup during working hours. In these cases, please note it on the registration form.

 

Saving backups (retention)

Daily backups (once a day, Sunday – Thursday) are kept for 45 days.

Weekly backups (once a week) are kept for 6 months.

Semestrial backups (once per semester) are kept for two years.

That is, if a file is changing every day, its last 30 daily versions (of the last 6 weeks), about 25 versions of his weekly backups (of the last half year), and 4 semester versions (last two years) are maintained.

There are also other backup regimes, keeping for a shorter period (3 months) or longer one (years), and there are different backup frequencies such as weekly and monthly backups.

For unique cases, a different backup regime can be set for special needs.

It is possible to send copies of the full backup (once a month) for saving in an underground safe at a remote site (offsite backup). The service is provided for a (nominal) cost, and you should choose this option on the registration form.

How do we know if the backup was successful?

• When two consecutive backups of the same type (full or incremental) fail, email is sent to the person in charge of the server. In such case , the person in charge should contact us to solve the  problem.
• It can be configured, upon request from the person in charge of the server, that every backup (either succesful or failed) will send email to the computer owner. You should ask for this by email.

At the beginning of every month, an email containing links to monthly backup reports for previous and current month, is sent to the person in charge of the computer. Current month’s report is updated daily at 9:30 am. It is advised to go through the reports and make sure the backups are working correctly.