Best Practices for Saving and Sharing Files
Students
Students have many options for saving and sharing files on and off campus.
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UI Central Server |
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E-mail Attachments
Recommended for sending:
- small files, one time, to one address or a small number of people.
Not Recommended for sending:
- Files over 1 MB in size.
- Attachments to a list or large number of people.
- File with certain extensions (e.g. .exe) or encrypted files.
Size Limits:
- Varies with each e-mail provider.
Sending an e-mail attachment to one person works well. What are the drawbacks? You cannot send a file with certain extensions (e.g. .exe) or encrypted files. The mail servers block these types of files in case they might be a virus. Individual mail systems have limits for sending and receiving messages and recipient may have message size limitations in their own e-mail system. Keep in mind that users have a maximum quota limit as well.
E-mail Attachments: http://cs.its.uiowa.edu/email/attachinfo.shtml
Xythos
Recommended for:
- Saving personal files via the web.
- Sharing files when security is an issue.
- Sharing files that would be blocked as an e-mail attachment.
- Sending files exceeding 1 MB.
- Sending files that need to be sent to a large number of people.
Not Recommended for:
- Saving personal files using File > Save to a network drive directly from the application.
Size Limits:
- 50 MB
- Can be increased upon request.
Xythos is a web-based utility intended to provide students, faculty, and staff with a personal, easy-to-use interface to upload, download, save and share files with both users inside and outside of The University.
For file security Xythos allows you to send a "ticket" via an e-mail note to as many other people as you would like. You simply send the file link to the recipients, including listserv recipients, and they can access it on the web by clicking the web link.
You can share public files on the web by setting public permission to "read". This allows you publish the web link or send the it via e-mail.
Attachment Blocking: http://cs.its.uiowa.edu/email/cdp.shtml#a
Xythos: https://xythos.uiowa.edu/xythoswfs/webui
SAFE and Myfiles
Recommended for:
- Saving personal files for access from the ITCs, home, or while on the road.
Not Recommended for:
- Sharing files.
Size Limits:
- 100 MB
Student Academic File space (SAFE) is a secure place to save files for use both on and off campus. To access SAFE files on campus, go to one of the many Instructional Technology Centers (ITC's) on campus. When you sign in using your HawkID, you will automatically get a home drive (H: drive) that allows you 100 mb of storage for your academic work. To access these same files from your dorm room, the library or anywhere else on or off campus, use a web browser and go to myfiles.uiowa.edu
You can continue to save and access your files from anywhere!
SAFE: http://helpdesk.its.uiowa.edu/safe/
Myfiles: http://helpdesk.its.uiowa.edu/myfiles/
MyWeb
Recommended for:
- Sharing information with many people where a web site would be beneficial.
Not Recommended for:
- Sharing secure files where access must be restricted.
Size Limits:
- 10 MB
- Can be increased upon request.
Each faculty member, staff and student is given space to setup a web site. If you are working on a project or with a group where a web presence would be beneficial, MyWeb is a good source for sharing information with many people - both on and off campus. You can send the web link to the file to others without having to send the file itself.
MyWeb: http://myweb.uiowa.edu/faq.htm
UI Central Server Web Site
Available to recognized UI student organizations only, for:
- Presentation of information such as mission, goals, calendar of events, and the work of the organization.
Not Recommended for:
- Personal web sites.
- Sharing secure files where access must be restricted.
Size Limits:
- 10 MB
- Can be increased upon request.
Recognized student organizations may use the ITS Central Server to present materials on the Web. The UI Central (web) server is intended for the presentation of information such as mission, goals, calendar of events, and the work of the organization. It is not intended to be a site for personal pages.
UI Central Server: http://www.uiowa.edu/~uiweb/public_web_server.html
ICON (Iowa Courses Online) Locker Tool
Recommended for:
- Saving personal or class related files via the web through ICON.
- Total space not more than 10 MB.
Not Recommended for:
- Saving personal files using File > Save to a network drive directly from the application.
- Sharing files outside of ICON.
Size Limits:
- 10 MB total
- 1 MB per file
The ICON Locker Tool is available to faculty, staff and students.
ICON Locker tool: http://icon.uiowa.edu/onlinehelp/tools/locker/