File System Policies

[oharab]

Calm down you server admin junkies, not that sort of policy!
We are looking at implementing some sort of policy for storing files on network servers.
The policy will also include some good practice ideas and ideally some sort of file structure guidelines.
I'd like the input of anyone who has a thought about it! Should we head for a project based structure, or a topic based one.
Should we prescribe a standard structure or merely suggest one?
What should we be doing to ensure the best use is made of the network?
What are your views on personal folders being on the network? Is this a good or bad idea?
Any other ideas that we could include in the policy?

Your thoughts and ideas are appreciated.

Ben

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Ben O'Hara

http://www.RobotParade.co.uk

"Where are all the stupid people from...
...And how'd they get so dumb?"

NoFX-The Decline
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[ascotta]

I think you have to map to the business requirements.

eg:

I have Customers and within them I have projects, then docs under them.

However you may have several suppliers working on the same project etc.


[blue]Arguably the best cat skinner around ! [/blue]

Cheers
Scott

 

[jonsi]

Set up Department Folders on the Network F&PS within which are contained Dept_ONLY & Dept_General sub-folderss. Dept Users should have full access to both but other users have no access to Dept_ONLY and R/O Access to Dept_Gen. That way Dept users can leave files for viewing in the Read-Only Gen folder (instead of emailing copies of files all over the shop)

Beneath that Depts can organise as they wish but I would impose that structure first. No files allowed outside the departments 2 sub-folders.

Personal folders should be mapped to a specific Users area with Users sub folders as $hares set up with Access only for the user and Administrators..

For Dept. you could also read clients/customers/Projects

 

[oharab]

There are 2 main drivers for this work for us. We have taken delivery of a nice large SAN to replace our creaking old server, so we need to move all the files from the old to the new.
2nd, as a public organisation, we have to be able to respond to the Freedom of Information act, which means that anyone can ask for anything, so we need to be able to find it. In the current state, that would be a time consuming task.
The way our department works is not particularly easy to break down. We produce a lot of standard analysis each month, but we also have distinct projects. Often these projects will become standard analysis when they are complete. Do we set up a project folder, then set move it to the standard folders when it matures?
One idea that we are looking at is having a set of standard information catagories:
Audit
Crime
Custody
Performance
etc.

But how do we define what goes into each category? Do performance stats about crime go in performance or crime?

I'm aware there is no right or wrong answer to this, but I'm interested in how this is done in other organizations.

Ben

----------------------------------------------
Ben O'Hara

http://www.RobotParade.co.uk

"Where are all the stupid people from...
...And how'd they get so dumb?"

NoFX-The Decline
----------------------------------------------
Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a

 

[ascotta]

Hows about then

Projects
/ \
Live Mature
/ \
multi layered Projectnorx mirrored over here
/ | | \ \
Aud Cri Cus Perf etc


then as each projectnorx becomes mature then you map the business process and move it to mature. You could split mature into years as well.


[blue]Arguably the best cat skinner around ! [/blue]

Cheers
Scott