How can I store data at INRiM and back it up to preserve it?

Given the significant effort required for data collection and analysis in research, taking time for data preservation is a good investment. In the following sections, we will briefly illustrate the methods and opportunities for backing up and storing data at INRiM.

The golden rules for storage/backup are as follows:

  1. When possible, store/archive only what needs to be preserved. There's a strong temptation to keep everything, in case you might need it in the future, but maintaining all your files is costly and makes it harder to find truly important data. INRiM's IT infrastructure, due to existing commercial agreements, currently limits the total backup capacity to 114 terabytes (TB), with 78 TB already utilized.
  2. Store/archive crucial data in more than one secure location. First, as physical memory on hard drives within laboratory or office computers. For selected data, commercially available backup devices provide a fairly convenient opportunity.

The most immediate backup tool for computers available at INRiM through Google Drive is the "Google Drive for Desktop" application, which can be downloaded from the following link.

Use Drive for Desktop to find your Drive files and folders on your computer with Windows File Explorer or macOS Finder. If you modify, delete, or move a file in the cloud, the same change will happen on your computer and devices, and vice versa. This way, your files will always be updated and accessible from any device.

Puoi anche usare Drive per Desktop per:

  • Open cloud-stored files directly on all your computers.
  • View and organize your files on your computer without using storage space.
  • Save and retrieve (up to 100 user-defined versions) previously modified versions of the same file and keep deleted file copies for 30 days, minimizing the risk of data loss.
  • Synchronize folders from your computer to Google Drive. During synchronization, your files are downloaded from the cloud and uploaded to your computer’s hard drive. After synchronization, your computer’s files match those in the cloud. Your files stay updated and accessible; any changes you make apply to all devices. 
  • Save files and folders for offline use, including files from shared drives.
  • Collaborate on Microsoft Office files in real-time.

 

You can install Drive per Desktop on the following operating systems:

 

 

 

Further information on using Google Drive is also available at the following link. 

If for any reason you cannot or do not want to use Google Drive for Desktop, or if you are using operating systems not supported by this application, you can use alternative freeware software to manage backups on local storage drives and with cloud support: