What does the service provide?

Shared folder

The service provides a network data folder shared among a group of staff. A specific network folder is created for a project, collaboration…etc. providing a default capacity of 15GB (other capacities can be examined on a case by case basis).

Additional subfolders can be created within the main folder for organising your data. However, when creating sub folders it is best not create beyond two levels deep. Note also that subfolders cannot be shared independently of the main folder, if a requirement exists to do this then a new top level folder should be requested.

Group Access

A collaborative group can contain any assembly of staff, be that a group of staff within a school or department , discipline or office, cross discipline or department, research or other project, committee …etc.

Secure Access

The shared folder is made available on the UCC network to the group whose members are individually authenticated by their domain logon account.

Role based access

The service provides for group members having different access privileges. You may wish to share data but only allow some members upload and amend documents while at the same time, restrict others to reading and not changing them. Access to the subfolders can be further restricted to a subset of members of the main access group. The subfolders themselves, by default, inherit the access permissions of its parent folder.

Note, you cannot give someone access to a subfolder unless they also have permission to its parent folder, they must be in the main group.

Multi-platform

The NAS can be accessed by most personal computing platforms including; Microsoft Windows, Apple OSX and UNIX. Some restrictions apply to Apple OSX prior to version 10.7 (Lion)

Backup

The NAS is fully backed up nightly and has a user self-service, prior version recovery option in the event of unintended file deletion or modifications.

Remote Access

The NAS can be accessed off campus by using Virtual App.

What does the service not provide?

The service is for data only, launch points and storage for software installs should be addressed through other online software distribution services.

• It does not provide private, personal or individual storage space; it is a shared space only.
• It does not provide a service for a group with only one member.
• It is not available for non UCC staff
• It is not a fully-fledged document management system that supports version controls, document sign off or multiple concurrent write access to individual files.

Service requests

Register your request for service by logging a case under the “Data Storage & NAS” tab at https://servicedesk.ucc.ie.

The following information is required;

1. Suggested Name for the shared folder 

This is typically an abbreviated or short form version of the function describing the purpose of the group, collaboration or project. The folder name should not be the name of a person. The security access group containing the staff members who will access the folder will also be based on this name.

1. Names of the staff members in the group
2. The domain where the staff members logon accounts are held, for the majority of staff this will be CENTRAL
3. The access permissions required for each staff member, Read or Modify

NAS File Naming and File Name Length

When creating your files try to keep their names as brief and paraphrased as possible but without compromising their description or identity. It is also advisable to avoid using the special or reserved characters in the name of a file, in particular avoid use of the following -

•  < (less than)
•  > (greater than)
•  : (colon)
•  " (double quote)
•  / (forward slash)
•  \ (backslash)
•  | (vertical bar or pipe)
•  ? (question mark)
•  * (asterisk)
•  & (ampersand)

There are finite limits to the length of the full name of a file. The full name includes the network path, folder and subfolders in which the file resides and the file name itself.

Name Length Limit

The full File name should be no longer than 259 characters (218 characters for Excel files). The NAS folder address \\nas.ucc.ie\, all subfolders, backslash characters and the characters in the filename will be counted towards the total file name length.

Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Access: The total length of the path and the file name, including file name extension should not exceed 259 characters.

Microsoft Excel: Is shorter. The total length of the path and the file name, including file name extension should not exceed 218 characters.