Computing @ USM

User Space Quota Increase

August 30, 2005

IT Network Services (ITNS) is proud to announce a significant expansion of network storage capabilities. We are increasing your "user space" on the USM NetWare servers to 500 megabytes. This is a tenfold increase for most of you.

This "user space" is most commonly called the "U: drive" for Windows users, and is identified by your userid when looking at "My Computer". Macintosh users will also be able to use this increased space; they view the folder as their username when browsing the network server.

Here are several reasons to use this storage area for USM business related documents (word processing, spreadsheets, and databases):

• Security – Data stored on your network user space is more secure than data stored on your local computer. You are the only person that has access to this storage area (aside from ITNS administrators under strict guidelines), thus the network user space is perfectly suited for confidential documents.
• Backup – ITNS maintains a nightly backup system to protect against server failure. The vast majority of our users’ local disks are not backed up.
• Availability – If you need access to this data from an off-campus location, we have MYFILES available for your use: https://myfiles.usm.maine.edu. Also, all documents stored on the server will be available on any other computer where you log in, even if your local computer fails.

You may be more familiar with the "common area" (or N: drive); this area is for sharing data within your University unit (possibly including student workers). Common areas often become cluttered with various projects, and are cumbersome for individuals to use and for the department to manage. Also, due to the standard sharing configuration, the common area does not ensure confidentiality. ITNS recommends using the common area only for documents that need to be shared.

If you decide to take advantage of this capability, we can assist you with changes to your applications to simplify the process (e.g. default save location). Please view the File Storage FAQ for more details.

This storage increase is available to you right now. Please feel free to use this new space, and call the HelpDesk at 780-4029 with any questions.