Data protection

After another serious failure of a computer used by a friend or family member, I feel obliged to remind people that Oxford provides excellent free comprehensive data backups. If you are basing your entire M.Phil or D.Phil project on files in a (theft-vulnerable and breakable) laptop, this is something you really must do.

I already wrote about it here.

As a special bonus – prompted by passing the 40,000 visitor mark on the blog – I will personally configure the Oxford backup system for the first graduate student friend of mine who leaves a comment requesting it. Call that a special bonus for people who are reading the blog in syndication.

[Update: 22 January 2007] Bad news for people with Intel-based Macs: the TSM backup client for Mac OS does not yet support them. Supposedly, a new one is being released in February. Until then, keep making backups to external hard disks or optical discs.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.

6 thoughts on “Data protection”

  1. Ben,

    I can help you if you like, though it is actually pretty straightforward. You just sign up for an account, download the software, and run it.

    The first time, it will take a long while. Subsequently, it will be much quicker. They will send reminders every week, and it is a huge help if something goes wrong with your computer.

  2. Thanks for the offer, though I guess I should probably look through all the stuff myself anyway – so I’ll get back to you if I get stuck.

    I do save my work on my college server, which I access from my flat, so it should be backed up there anyway.

  3. I need help setting this up. I followed the links when you wrote about this the first time, but it’s far too technical for me. I have books to read!

  4. Today, I managed to corrupt my main EndNote Library, while trying to convert it to the Mac version. Thankfully, I just grabbed a copy from last week from my TSM backup. Very useful indeed.

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