Data Saving/Data Transfer

Data backup and transfer of files collected in LMCF

Moving data between departments and buildings at Duke isn't always trivial. You may be able to simply use your departmental server directly, or external drives may be adequate for your needs.

The LMCF is in transition for plans of university server temporary storage. If you have a need for data transfer to a temporary location that may be provided by LMCF, please contact the LMCF staff and express your interest.

Rules for files in LMCF

This is quite a challenge. Please appreciate we have several hundred users and more than a twenty systems, and microscopes generate A LOT of data. Our aim is to keep the computers fairly clear and make sure you can move and access your data safely and easily. 

-- You are responsible for your data. --
 

Please move your data from the acquisition computers.

  • They really aren't safe places to keep anything
  • Please either move the data (rather than copy) or delete the local copies after you have them safely elsewhere
  • You may keep a copy of your data on an LMCF microscope computer for up to one week while you are making sure you have it backed up to your own lab based storage location.
  • We may delete any files without warning if space is required for experiments
  • (Caveat for small files, we understand sometime it is useful to store a reference file (eg to reload settings) so it is fine to keep permanently a small volume of data in a clearly labeled folder)
  • Any files on any computer should be in a folder with your full name or netid on the data drive (please don't use the desktop or "my documents" as it buries the files in places less easy to maintain.

Saving data when you are in LMCF

Log on to the microscope or workstation computer as you do normally

We recommend that you directly save to the data drive on the local computer and then move the data when you are finished your session and have closed the software. Sometimes the software has problems saving to remote locations, and often for timelapse etc the speed isn't good enough. Moving rather than copying data really helps LMCF keep the computers clear. (or copy and then delete the files off of the microscope computer0

Most computers have multiple hard-drives on those systems and you should save data to the data drives rather than the C:/ drive. Please don't use the desktop or "my documents". Storing data is labeled folders on the D:/ drive or similar helps make data management easier and windows working better.

 

* Please contact us if you need temporary server share storage space to move your data from the LMCF computers to your lab backup location.