Data Backup and Recovery
The SCDE is offering periodic backups of data as requested by the owning district. This service also provides for necessary data restores due to data loss or corruption, and monitoring for successful completion of backup processes. Interested districts can contact Jeff Henry at rhenry@ed.sc.gov to request services or to ask questions or send your contact information to SharedServices@ed.sc.gov.
How will SCDE charge?
For SY 2018–19, the SCDE anticipates having pilot funds from the K–12 Technology Initiative to support this service. In future years, the charge will be based upon the amount of customer data that is protected and stored. The amount is calculated each month. The charge is the number of gigabytes (GB), multiplied by the rate. Any customer that requires more than 30 days of data recovery will be charged at a higher proportional rate. Billing will be based on the physical amount of space required by the backup.
What is backed up?
All data backup parameters will be agreed upon by the customer and the SCDE. Standard parameters include scheduled nightly backups and 30-day retention. Customers with special backup needs will be accommodated on a case-by-case basis.
What other support does SCDE provide?
The SCDE will monitor backups, address technical issues, correct errors, and notify customers of instances when information has not been backed up according to plan. Customers are responsible for testing to ensure that the backed-up data is accurate and complete, and can schedule such tests with the SCDE. Data server backup and recovery efforts do not constitute full disaster recovery services. The SCDE plans to be able to discuss disaster recovery options in the future.
What is the backup environment?
The SCDE has deployed a Dell EMC Avamar system with Data Domain as the backup target. This system allows data to be deduplicated at the client, compressed and encrypted before it is transferred across the network. Deduplication dramatically reduces the amount of data sent and stored. This in turn reduces the costs involved with backing up and replicating the data. Besides our main target for the data backup at our primary data center, the data is also replicated to our secondary data center, so in reality the customer is getting their data backed up to two separate locations providing added protection.
What is included in the charge for this service?
After the pilot, charges will include the cost for equipment, systems software, vendor maintenance of hardware and software, systems administration, daily monitoring and on-call assistance and support by the backup and recovery team. Thirty-day retention of files (changed or deleted) on a nightly backup schedule are included in the rate. Also included is consultation with the backup and recovery team to determine best practices for backup methodologies. Modifications to backup targets must be communicated by the customer to the SCDE. The SCDE will acknowledge and make requested changes to the backup targets. The SCDE will perform upgrades to backup systems when required, and notify the customer of any changes that impact their backup routines.
What can be done to manage consumption?
Customers can realize savings by deleting unneeded data from their storage locations.
Technology Technical Assistance
Under Proviso 1.73 for SY 2018-19, the SCDE may use up to $350,000 of K–12 Technology Initiative funding to provide technology technical assistance to school districts. The SCDE would like to prioritize this funding towards districts that are sharing services.
Services might include:
- Assistance with the implementation and configuration of Algebra Nation
- Performing technology health checks
- Assisting with plans for better readiness for online testing
- Identifying opportunities for staff sharing
- Identifying subject matter experts in districts
- Evaluating the IT infrastructure and troubleshooting
- Formulating strategic plans and action plans
- Providing consolidation services for data or equipment
- Setup for PowerSchool hosting
This proviso does not provide for the supplying of new or replacement equipment by the SCDE. Districts can contact Jeff Henry at rhenry@ed.sc.gov to request services or to ask questions, or send your contact information to SharedServices@ed.sc.gov.
