Koko (the LCSR NetApp)

The new NetApp

LCSR has recently acquired a NetApp F820 filer. It allows us to centralize our file management for the clusters we manage. It provides fast, reliable storage via RAID 4 technology. It provides a snapshotting system which allows operators to complete file restores quickly without the need to access tapes. As currently configured (December, 2004), it can provide up to about 1.1 TB of disk storage.

Move to NetApp

Our staff began using the NetApp for their own home directories in early November, 2002. We moved all the user home directories on a number of clusters (faculty, research, grad, undergrad, internet lab among them) between Christmas 2002 and the beginning of spring semester, 2003.

Change in backup strategy

In response to the recently enacted law regarding public access to government records, we have had to rethink our backup policies. A request coming in for "all electronic records regarding xxx", could, under our old backup scheme, take large, even unmanageable amounts of our time and resources searching old backup tapes for potentially relevant files.

After input from federal agencies and other departments at the university, we have determined that keeping backups on the NetApp for up to two months and providing the DCIS faculty with CD copies of their files beyond that point will leave all available files accessible and under user control.

The NetApp provides online nearly immediately accessible backup copies of all files online at the time snapshots are taken. We also have in place a mechanism for producing CD archives of DCIS faculty home directories to be given to the faculty themselves.

This page last updated December 6, 2004.