Backing up¶

Why back up your data ?¶

• Hard disks die
• Portable devices can be lost or broken
• Disasters happen

How to back up data¶

The core principle is that backup copies of data should be stored in a different location to the main copy.

If you delete your local copy of the data then the primary copy will be the original backup... is that copy backed up anywhere ?

Suitable locations for backups are:

• A firesafe
• A network copy
  • An network drive e.g. provided by the institution
  • Internet storage (in the cloud)
  • A data repository - this could be a public thematic / institutional repository for publishing completed research datasets, or an internal repository for archiving datasets during research
• A portable device / portable media which you keep somewhere other than under your desk

The best backup is the one you do!

Backing up on external devices means that you need access to the device... network drives and "internal" backups are usually more available. e.g. backup every time you're in the office / lab or at home.

Can't I just put it in the cloud ?¶

Google's terms:

Your Content in our Services

Some of our Services allow you to submit content. You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours.

When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights you grant in this license are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This license continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing you have added to Google Maps). Some Services may offer you ways to access and remove content that has been provided to that Service. Also, in some of our Services, there are terms or settings that narrow the scope of our use of the content submitted in those Services. Make sure you have the necessary rights to grant us this license for any content that you submit to our Services.

So be careful. I won't be putting important or personal stuff on Google with those terms!

Microsoft SkyDrive from the Windows Live services agreement:

3.3. What does Microsoft do with my content? When you upload your content to the services, you agree that it may be used, modified, adapted, saved, reproduced, distributed, and displayed to the extent necessary to protect you and to provide, protect and improve Microsoft products and services. For example, we may occasionally use automated means to isolate information from email, chats, or photos in order to help detect and protect against spam and malware, or to improve the services with new features that makes them easier to use. When processing your content, Microsoft takes steps to help preserve your privacy.

So pretty similar. Another one to be careful about!