CISE Help & Resources
This page describes the various types of disk space available at CISE, including quota information, acceptable use policies, etc.
CISE Storage Space
Usage Guidelines and Policies
Persistent Storage Space
- Home Directories
Home disk space is the primary location where users can store files. These directories are maintained on high availability storage and snapshots of the data are made hourly, nightly and weekly. In addition, this disk space is backed up to off-line storage via CNS's TSM software, and further backed up remotely from there. Because of the level of redundancy provided, quotas on these directories are fairly small.
Home directory space can be accessed from all CISE managed unix computers via /cise/homes/<username> , the '~' special path, and is the default directory that users are placed in when they log in.
Home directory space can be accessed from all CISE managed windows machines via the H: drive.
- NT Profile Space
NT profile space is a very small space for holding your various windows settings, as well as any custom Desktop and Start Menu items. The Desktop and My Documents folders point at this space as well, but due to its limited size and the fact that it is not maintained redundantly it is recommended that users DO NOT STORE ANY DATA IN THESE PLACES. Users should store all important documents in the home directory.
- Research Space
Research space is space either purchased specifically by a professor or group, or provided from a relatively limited shared pool provided by the department. Access to these spaces is limited to individuals who have been granted access by whoever owns the space. Because the size and location of these spaces vary widely, the level of backup provided also varies, but the department works with each owner to provide some form of backup space in case of a system failure or user error.
Research space is a good location to host custom software installs, development projects, shared research data, or other project associated data that is either too large to be stored in a user's home directory or requires shared access.
Research spaces can be accessed from all CISE managed unix machines under the /cise/research<space number> directory, or via /cise/research/<space name>.
Research Spaces can be accessed from all CISE managed windows machines via the Z: drive, at the same locations as on unix machines.
- Class Web Space
Each course offered by the department is allocated space for web pages and other course files. This space is owned by the instructor of the course, and a group is automatically assigned to the course space each semester so that professors can grant TAs access to the course space. Course space is backed up in the same manner as home directories, and further archived for posterity.
Class space is available from all CISE managed unix machines under the /cise/class/<course number><semester> directory. (Ex. /cise/class/cis3022fa09)
Class sapce is available from all CISE managed windows machines via the Z: drive, at the same location as on the unix machines.
Temporary Storage Space
- Machine Local Temporary Space
The /tmp and /var/tmp direcoties on each unix machine are typically user writeable. However, these spaces are automatically cleared on reboot, and can, in some cases, severly impact the functionality of the machine if filled. Files in these spaces are likely to dissapear without notice, and cannot be recovered.
- Individual Temporary Storage Space
The /cise/tmp filesystem is available to individuals who need space to host larger amounts of files for a resonable period of time. These files are not backed up, but are maintained on RAID storage, so the likelyhood of totaly pool failure is small. The filesystem is rather large, and should accomidate all reasonable usage, but should it become necessary in the future, admins may impose a maximum size for directories within this filesystem.
Starting in Fall 2009, this space will be rotated at the end of each semester, and the old shares made read only. The previous semester's temporary file space will become the new /cise/tmp.0 (again, as a read only filesystem), then /cise/tmp.1 the following semester, and eventually /cise/tmp.2 . After this, the files on the space will be purged, and the filesystem will be restored to writeable status again as /cise/tmp. Thus, information on these filesystems will remain nominally available for 3 semesters following its removal.
- Group Temporary Storage Space
Groups working together on a project that needs additional storage space can request creation of a group, and the assignment of that group to a directory within the /cise/tmp filespace. Usage of this temp space follows exactly the same rules and restrictions as for Individual Temp Storage Space. If you need space to persist uninterrupted for longer than a semester, please fill out a project request.
