File Management & Backup

How careful are you about organizing and backing up your important files?

You might not think much about file management until something goes wrong. Sometimes, things can go really wrong. You could lose files you need for an important project, or even just personal files like photographs or videos that cannot be replaced. Don’t let this happen to you! Instead, follow these tips to ensure you are protecting your data and making it accessible even in the face of unforeseen events.

3 Copies

For important project files, you should have at least three copies: one working copy and two archived copies.

Be clear and consistent with your file- and folder-naming structure so you can easily locate what you need (e.g., organize by project, filming day, location, etc.).

3 Locations

Store them in 3 different locations, e.g.:

*An external HD or SSD – Highly recommended
*Cloud (OneDrive) – Highly recommended
*Network drive (P, Scratch, etc.)
*Your computer or laptop’s internal HD

Considerations

  • Many digital media projects—especially video projects with high-resolution source files—require a massive amount of storage. You should also be aware that transferring large project files can take longer than expected, depending on your network speed. Be prepared!
  • The read/write speed demands of your editing software will usually require you to work with a local copy of your media files during the editing process (files on your internal HD or external HD/SSD). You may also want to work with proxies, which are lower-resolution versions of your source files that are less taxing on your operating system.
  • Files saved directly to your computer or laptop’s internal HD are the most convenient but also the most vulnerable. You also run the risk of running out of HD space and/or putting undue strain on your system, which can make your device slow or impossible to use.
  • Campus computer stations are reformatted regularly and cannot be relied on for long-term storage. You should also have a back-up plan in case someone else is working on the computer you’ve been using for editing.
  • If you plan to work often with large media files, we highly recommend you purchase an external hard drive (HDD) or, better yet, a solid state drive (SSD). We prefer SSDs because they contain no moving parts and are therefore less prone to failure. However, you should still keep multiple copies of your important files in multiple locations, because even SSDs can fail.
  • All SLU students, faculty, and staff have access to 1 TB of free cloud storage via Microsoft OneDrive. This is a great location for archiving your project files. Students lose access to their OneDrive soon after graduation, so it’s important to back up your files to another location before you lose access.
  • Remember an internet connection is needed to access cloud- or network-based files. You must be on campus to connect to SLU network drives. You can access files stored in a network drive by downloading, installing, and connecting to GlobalConnect VPN.

Where are my files?

When starting a new digital media project, especially on an unfamiliar computer, 1.) Be sure you know where your project files are being saved in your editing software. You can usually set this location yourself when you are first prompted to save the project, and 2.) Familiarize yourself with any auto-backup settings. Make sure you understand how often the software is backing up your progress (if at all), and where those files are being saved.

Keep track of your imported media files

Keep your imported media files–e.g., videos, images, and graphics that serve as your project’s source material–together in one clearly labelled and easy-to-find location that you will always have access to (e.g., external SSD or locally saved folder) on the computer where you will editing your project. This will also make it easier to back-up your media when doing a full project archive (see below).

Files Required for a Complete Back-up

For a complete backup of your work, you will want to save 1.) your original source media files, 2.) the project file(s) generated by your editing software that save your editing progress, and 3.) your completed (exported) files. This ensures you can return to the project at a later date, open it with all your media linked on another computer, and/or make any needed changes or export with different settings as needed.

Questions?

Contact us at digital@stlawu.edu.