Think! Sync & Share
Realising the benefits of SLMS Sync & Share
(January 2014)
Benefits of Sync & Share
• Keeping your data secure
• Working together
• Working from home
• Accessing your data from anywhere
• Keeping your software up-to-date
• Uninterrupted and trouble-free working
SLMS Sync & Share – Keeping your data secure
Examples

Need data to be
o
Safe and always backed-up
o
Protected from theft, corruption, hardware failure, accidental deletion
Before Sync & Share
With Sync & Share
Practices
Practices


Data is ‘mirrored’ on up-to-date hardware in two secure
locations

Regular backups – every night

(Laptops only backed up when connected to the UCL
network (wired, Eduroam or Virtual Private Network (VPN) )

Backups are kept for 90 days

Data restoration can be requested

Access to your data is password protected using your UCL
account details

Data on laptop, USB keys
o
Vulnerable to loss, theft
o
Insecure, as not properly password protected;
encrypted
Data may not be adequately backed up – backups irregular,
stored in insecure or uncontrolled environment
Risks


Benefits
Data loss
o
Laptop/USB key stolen or lost
o
Deletion of important data
o
Data gets corrupted
o
Hardware failure
Backups may be inadequate to completely restore all lost
data

Peace of mind – your data is held securely and safely
backed up

Ease of use – backups are taken care of on your behalf
SLMS Sync & Share – Working together
Examples

Sharing large documents with others in your department and/or colleagues in other SLMS departments

Sharing data (Excel spreadsheets, Access databases, SPSS, SAS files) with others in your department/with other SLMS departments

Need to send large files to others within SLMS

Your department has used shares before, but you were limited by the size of the shares
Before Sync & Share
With Sync & Share
Practices
Practices
If no shares available:


Sending files (docs, data etc. by email)

Transferring files using USB keys
If shares available, possibly:

Restricted to sharing within department

Restricted size
Authorised colleagues access data/document files stored on a
Sync & Share shared folder (S: drive)
o
Single, definitive version of the each doc, data file
o
Ability to share files with inter-departmental and intradepartmental colleagues
o
Control of who has access of the data – membership of
the shared folder
o
Control over the type of access – eg read-only etc –
granularity
o
Size of share can be increased (may incur cost)

Transfer of files between colleagues using scratch (temporary
storage) drive (P: drive)
Benefits
Risks

Data held on portable hardware vulnerable to theft, security
breaches

Security: control over who accesses data, docs and how

Data, documents in one place – mitigates confusion about
multiple versions

Emailing data to inappropriate personnel

Multiple copies of docs/data files – potential for updating an old
version of document -> confusion

Scope: sharing with SLMS colleagues within department and
within SLMS

Share size not adequate for research purposes

Share size: expandable
SLMS Sync & Share - Working from home
Examples

Need to access your work files from home?
Before Sync & Share
With Sync & Share
Practices
Practices


Copying files you wish to work on to a USB
key, working on them remotely copying back
to work computer
Option
Access
Requirement
How
Notes
1
Files and UCL’s
standard apps
Desktop@UCL
Anywhere
Easiest
2
Files and apps on
work computer
Remote Desktop
Connection (RDC) to
work computer over
Virtual Private Network
(VPN)
Relies on
work
computer
being on &
available
3
Files only
Virtual Private Network
(VPN) & ShareMounter
App
Relies on
home
system apps
(ie Word etc)
Sending files by email
Risks
Benefits

Data loss – USB key lost, stolen


Data insecure – if data on USB key not
encrypted – what other files did I have on my
key?
Work on the same work files (not copies) – no confusion from multiple
copies

Saves time: No USB juggling

No need to worry about

File versioning confusion – multiple copies –
risk of updating wrong version
o
Data loss – theft, mislaying USB key
o
Data security – data being access by unauthorised people
Please see the SLMS remote working guide at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/itforslms/services/remote-working
SLMS Sync & Share
Accessing your data from anywhere
Examples

Access to your data from other organisations

Hot-desking within SLMS

Office moves
Before Sync & Share
With Sync & Share
Practices
Practices


Offsite data access: Difficult to access it from another
organisation – required setting up in advance with eg
Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) – not suitable for
infrequent usage

Hot-desking: Data stored on the hard drive of your work
desktop not accessible to you elsewhere in UCL

Office moves: Reinstalling software, transferring your data

Shared computers: Limited access if data stored on hard
drive of shared computer
Offsite data access (from anywhere): Use ‘Desktop@UCL
Anywhere’ see SLMS remote working guide at:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/itforslms/services/remote-working

Hot-desking: Can log on to any Windows 7 Computer that
is connected to Sync & Share service and access your
files

Office moves:
o
No need to reinstall core software as this is
provided
o
No need for data transfer as data stored remotely
Risks
Benefits

Offsite access/Hot-desking: May not be able to access
your data when working remotely moving or around UCL

Offsite data access: Ease of access to your data from
anywhere with a network connection

Office moves: Time loss as labour intensive (software
reinstalls and data transfers)

Hot-desking: You can move freely between SLMS sites
(that have migrated to Sync & Share service)

Shared computers: Access to locally stored data
prohibited if machine already in use

Office moves: Simpler

Shared computers: Multiple users can share one machine.
Users can access multiple shared machines.
SLMS Sync & Share
Keeping your software up-to-date
Examples

Have trouble keeping up with new versions of common software packages?

Can’t open files as you are using a different version of the software to your collaborators?
Before Sync & Share
With Sync & Share
Practices
Practices

Finding out current version

Access to a common suite of UCL licensed software

Obtaining your own software. Is it already licensed to UCL? How
do I download?


Installing software on your laptop/desktop
You can also install licensed software additional to the
standard offering (Statistics packages SPSS and SAS are
packaged ready for installation)

Applying software updates (or not!)

Unable to open documents as using a different version to others
Risks
Benefits

Legal issues – not properly licensed

Data security issues – not properly kept up-to -date with security
fixes

Operational issues – not correctly installed

Compatibility issues – versions different to those used by SLMS
collaborators

Licensing, installation and patching all taken care of for you –
o
Peace of mind
o
Time saved

Ease of access to up-to-date operating system and common
applications

No software compatibility issues with other SLMS Sync &
Share users

Flexibility – admin rights to add other software
SLMS Sync & Share
Uninterrupted & trouble-free working
Examples

You require continuity of service – uninterrupted by unscheduled outages eg due to hardware failure
Before Sync & Share
With Sync & Share
Practices
Practices


Your data is held on hardware in two separate data
centres. If there is a hardware failure at one centre, the
other seamlessly takes over providing you with service
continuity

If network outage, Windows 7 users can access personal
files off-line, will resynchronise files when network
restored

If your laptop or desktop computer fails, you will still be
able to access your data by logging onto another faculty
computer set up with Sync & Share
Data may have been stored on hardware vulnerable to:
o
Accidental loss or theft (laptops, servers in insecure
locations)
o
Hardware failure (old kit)
o
Security breaches (if not properly maintained – eg
person managing server leaves and is not
replaced)
–> unscheduled downtime
Risks
Benefits

Loss of productivity – time spent recovering – buying
replacement hardware, reinstalling software and data

Less likelihood of your work being affected by
outages/downtime

Disruption to work


Stress! – particularly if at critical time – approaching grant
application deadline
Server purchasing and maintenance – all taken care of for
you

Flexibility for Windows 7 users – your personal data on
your N: drive is synchronised and available to you off-line