The DS-Filestore fileservers are backed up by UIS, but not in such a way that individual files can be readily retrieved. You are responsible for keeping backup copies of your files.
It is very easy to lose a file, for instance by accidental deletion or overwriting. You cannot assume that a file you have moved to the Wastebin (Trash) on a particular machine will still be available on that machine when you come back ten minutes later.
The easiest way to back up files from your Desktop Services filespace is to make regular copies to a USB stick, CD etc., and keep the backups in a safe place, labelled and dated.
It is also a good idea to make sure you make up-to-date (and dated) printouts of documents under development at intervals; in case of major disaster it is usually possible to use a scanner to recreate a document.
If you accidentally delete a file on DS-Filestore there is no straightforward way to recover it. If you have lost something substantial or important, it may be worth consulting the UIS Service Desk for possible ways to retrieve it.
Files which have been damaged because an application crashed when writing them, or through virus attacks, or because a CD or memory stick has become corrupted, can sometimes be partially or wholly recovered. Consult the UIS Service Desk.
If you have files in unusual formats or on unusual storage media, UIS may also be able to assist.
Last updated: 22 June 2015