Filesystems

Files are stored in filesystems. We offer a number of central filesystems that are managed, which means we make sure the data is available, make backups, control access and enforce quota.

Beta storage

Computer science is migrating towards Beta infrastructure for computing. Storage is being migrated to Beta infrastructure, pay attention to the announcements. Global information at Storage facilities at the faculty of Science. View your own Science storage facilities at science ICT storage self service page (login using solisid/password).

CS Home directory

Your cs home directory is where you store your important work files that need to be available on all systems you can log in to. The same homedirectories are available to unix and windows systems.

Your cs home directory on a staff unix system

On unix systems, this is your homedirectory where you automatically end up when you log in, also known as $HOME. Unix filesystem location /users/username/.

Your cs home directory on a staff windows system

On windows system, your home directory is by default mapped to drive letter H:. The network path is \\staff_home\username\.

Your cs home directory on a student unix system

On the unix system, this is your homedirectory where you automatically end up when you log in, also known as $HOME. Unix filesystem location /users/username/.

Web directory

Web directories are where the source files are placed for our webserver. Use and access is explained on the page about webspace.

Software depot

Software depot is where shared software is stored.

Software depot for unix staff and students systems

Unix clients use the software depot for shared software installations. The default path for users includes /sw/bin so software installed in the software depot is searched too.

Software depot in windows for staff windows systems

Software that can be run directly from the network path is available to windows systems as \\sw\pkg.

Software that can be installed from the network path is available to windows systems as \\sw\depot.

Projects directories

A project directory is a filetree associated with a current research and/or education project of the computer science department. A project contains software and data pertaining to the project. The leader of the project is responsible for the contents of the project. Data in a project is considered private to the participants of the project. The projectleader must see to it that this privacy is maintainted.

Projects reside on the projects-server. Because staff and students must be able to work together on a project, projects are global.

Use science project space

All new project space should be requested as science project space, visit Storage facilities at the faculty of Science.

Projects directories for staff unix systems

Projects directories are available in filesystem location /projects, a project example would reside in /projects/example.

Projects directories for staff windows systems

Projects directories are available in filesystem location \\netshare\projects.

Praktikum directories

A praktikum directory for some given course, contains data pertaining to the course that the teacher wishes to make available to the students.
The primary source of information for courses is the education section in the department's WWW pages. However, sometimes it is more convenient to make some data available through the filesystem.

Generally, praktikum directories are cleaned up after the course finishes.

Accessing praktikum directories from unix systems

Directory /praktikum.

Accessing praktikum directories from windows systems

Directory \\netshare\praktikum.

Local temporary space

Temporary space is available. Local temporary space is in default spaces as expected by standard applications.

Local temporary space in unix systems

Directory /tmp.

Local temporary space in windows systems

Directory C:\TEMP.

Shared temporary space

There is also a global temporary space in order to move data between machines or temporarily save big files, named /net/tmp.

Currently, the policy is to keep files for 1 day to 3 weeks, depending on disk usage; files are kept if disk usage is less than 60%. If disk usage rises above 80%, files older than 3 hours may be removed. Top level files are more likely to be removed than files in sub directories; users should organise their data in subdirectories.

Note: usage of TMP directories is only restricted by file system capacity. This luxury (condition of abundance or great ease and comfort) places an equal burden of selfrestraint on the users of this facility. In other words, use too much of it and you'll make someone angry.

For /net/tmp this means: offending users are placed on the clobber-list without notice. Their files will be removed from /net/tmp between 0900 and 1700. Currently, first-time offenders remain on the list for one week, recidivists 8 weeks. See

  /net/tmp/00-clobber-list      <--  for unix users
  /net/tmp/00-CLOBBER-LIST.TXT  <--  FOR DOS USERS

for the current status. Determining one's uid is left as an exercise to the reader.

Access to the shared temporary space from unix systems

Directory /net/tmp.

Access to the shared temporary space from windows systems

Directory \\nettmp\nettmp.

Extra space on your local machine

On Linux machines, left-over filespace is mounted under /private. You can use this as a temporary directory, like /tmp.

Using science (ict-beta) filespace from computer science systems

The shared filespace for people working in other parts of beta can be accessed in the following way:

In windows explorer, Map network drive, select U: as driveletter and \\storage.staff.science.uu.nl\solisid as foldername. Click on different user name and enter SOLISCOM\solisid and your solis password.

Using computer science filespace from systems not in our STAFF domain

Type as username STAFF\username with your computer science username. Use the accompanying password.

For drive mappings, use the 'different user name' procedure as above.

Quota: a limit on the amount of space used

Use of certain shared filesystems is restricted by quota: you cannot use more space than a certain amount set by policy. In effect there are two limits: The hard limit which is the absolute limit on how much space you can use, trying to write more will fail. The (lower) soft limit which you can exceed temporarily (maximum 7 days).

Staff members can request more space if needed. Students needing more space for a certain project can ask this via the teacher.

One note: hidden directories can be missed by the 'disk in use' calculations in Windows.

Default quota

Where 1 Mb=1000 Kb.

• Students home directory: softquota 250 Mb, hardquota 300 Mb.
• Students web directory: softquota 50 Mb, hardquota 65 Mb.
• Staff home directory: softquota 1000 Mb, hardquota 1100 Mb.
• Staff personal web directory: softquota 250 Mb, hardquota 275 Mb.

Historic help

Filesystem layout contains older documentation of our filesystems.

Related pages

Accounts and passwords
BSCW shared workspace server
Backups
E-mail
Filesystem snapshots
General servers
Limiting access to webspace
Remote access to our systems
Security
Staff account migration ; mail-client configuration and moving mail
Staff account migration to soliscom accounts
Students account migration to soliscom accounts
VPN access
VPN access from Linux
VPN access from MacOSX
VPN access from Windows
Webspace
Wireless network access

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