ICT Infrastructure Backup and Recovery – Schools

School administration server backup – users folder

It is important that there is a sound backup regime for user data contained within the school administration server to minimise IT security and business continuity risks associated with data loss.

The department’s school administration server backup service takes a copy of the data within the users folder. The users folder is located on the D: Drive of the administration server. A school user can see this folder on their workstations as the U:\Users Folder. The school administration server backup process stores a copy of the data elsewhere so that it can be restored to the school administration server after a data loss event, such as a disaster (such as theft, fire or flood), damage or corruption or accidental deletion. The service ensures that:

• data is backed up daily and retained for 31 days
• backup data will be encrypted in transit
• data is backed up to the department’s central data centre locations
• user data files and folders can be restored upon request within the backup retention period.

Please be aware the P: Drive directory within the CASES21 environment is not part of the School Administration Server backup process. P: Drive is a temporary holding folder in the CASES21 environment. P: Drive data must be copied from P: Drive to the U: Drive to ensure the data is backed up.

The department is responsible for the backup and restore of user data in the D:\Users folder (U:\Users Folder at school level) of the school administration server and will restore user data to the point of the last successful data backup.

If there is data loss on the school administration server (that is not a disaster event), schools must log a request via the Services Portal to restore data.

In the event of a disaster at a school site, the department will work with school management to recover the school administration server and restore the school administration user data.

It is a school’s responsibility to archive critical data that is no longer in use that may need to be accessed for future reference. For more information on archiving school information – refer to Records Management.

When storing files on the school administration server, schools must store files in accordance with the Acceptable Use Policy for ICT Resources.

Authorised department staff supporting and managing the School Administration Backup service (or those acting in those roles) are required to comply with this guidance to ensure data has been backed up and can be restored.