Physics and Astronomy Computing Services - PACS

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Info-->Backups:

The PACS team employs three backup techniques to attend to our Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X servers and desktops.  Windows servers, Windows desktops, and Mac OS X desktops are backed up using EMC Retrospect to an LTO2 tape library. Data on Linux desktops are rsync'ed to a central disk array with a 4 week retention policy. This, along with most of our Linux server are backed up using Atempo Time Navigator to an LTO3/LTO4 tape library. All of our data on tape is cycled out to an offsite facility in Spokane, Washington on a monthly basis. We only retain 3 months of data on tape. If you delete something from your directory, three months later it is completely unrecoverable.

What's being backed up and when?

Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X servers
5 days a week, bimonthly fulls
Windows and Mac OS X desktops
incremental weekly
Data directories on research file servers
archived bimonthly
click on the links above for a more detailed list...


Restoring files from tape...

Before sending email to PACS, please be sure to provide the following information:
  • Name of your desktop (stoat.phys.washington.edu)
  • Path of missing directory or file(s) (/phys/users/richardc/lostdir or My Documents\lostfile.doc)
  • When you last had the file (today or 4-5 weeks ago)
Restoring files may need to wait for a backup to finish. Our backup systems are running nearly all of the time in order to minimally impact the servers being backed up. Please expect 2-5 days for a restore. If this is time critical, please specify your deadline and why in your email.

Back to info page...

help at phys dot washington dot edu