Sally Gore, MS, MS LIS
Manager, Research & Scholarly Communication Services
sally.gore@umassmed.edu
Tess Grynoch, MLIS
Research Data & Scholarly Communications Librarian
tess.grynoch@umassmed.edu
Leah Honor, MLIS
Research Data & Scholarly Communications Librarian
leah.honor@umassmed.edu
Lisa Palmer, MSLS, AHIP
Institutional Repository Librarian
lisa.palmer@umassmed.edu
Good data storage and backup stratgies ensure that data will remain accessible over time and help protect against accidental or malicious data loss.
Backup and Storage Tips
Laptops: Laptops are convenient, portable, and required for incoming T.H. Chan School of Medicine students. However, because of their portability they are at risk of being lost or stolen, so a secure backup of your laptop data is recommended.
External Storage: Cheap and easily portable, external storage devices such as flash drives or hard drives are convenient options for data storage. They should not be used for master copies of data, however, as they can be easily lost or damaged.
Networked Drives: Network drives are managed by the institution and backed up on a regular basis. At UMass Chan, network drives are available to institutional workgroups, departments, and research teams.
Cloud Storage: An online system for storing and backing-up computer files making it easy to access files from anywhere with internet access.
Third-party, web-based storage platforms such as Google Drive or Dropbox are not recommended for UMass Chan-related data. For large file sharing needs, contact IT.
UMass Chan has a responsibility to protect electronic health information and requires that all laptops and mobile devices used to access sensitive data be encrypted. IT Information Security has important information to be familiar with.