Taubman College

Computing / File Storage

External storage drives are an inexpensive way to store your data. Drives can be purchased from big box stores, via the web, or at the UM Computing Showcase. Depending on the drive size, speed, and manufacturer, external drives can typically be purchased for less than $200.00. Extra precaution should be taken with external drives as if they are lost, stolen or damaged, data retrieval may be difficult. The best way to backup data is via a server. UM offers server space via IFS.

IFS space

As a student of UM, 10GB of personal file storage with daily backups on the UM servers is available to you at no charge; more can be purchased. These servers are accessible from anywhere in the world through secure file transfer protocols (sftp) using SSH Secure Shell for Windows or FUGU for Mac, and through the web (mfile.umich.edu). Using IFS is an excellent way to backup your data. More information on what IFS is and how to use it can be found at http://www.itcs.umich.edu/files/index.html.

Temp Storage Server

The Temp Storage Server is for temporary storage only, not personal, confidential, or important items. You can access the server on and off campus. For most new users the first step is to set your Active Directory Password as described below, then proceed to the "On-campus access" or "Off-campus access" instructions.

Active Directory Password

The <uniqname> is just a person's regular university assigned uniqname but the Active Directory Password is something most users do not know and must create.

Creating or resetting your Active Directory Password:

  1. Direct a web browser to http://weblogin.umich.edu
  2. Login as normal, using your uniqname and Kerberos Password
  3. Select the option "kpasswd: Change Your Kerberos Password" BUT THIS IS NOT THE PASSWORD YOU WANT TO CHANGE.
    Instead,
  4. Select the "Windows Active Directory" tab in the University of Michigan banner at the top.
  5. Create or reset your Active Directory Password.

It is possible to create an Active Directory Password that is the same as your uniqname password but it's also possible that the restrictions on the Active Directory Password (listed at the bottom of that page) will mean you can't (unless you also change your current uniqname password as well).

On–campus Access

  1. Map Network Drive to \\tcaup-storage.adsroot.itcs.umich.edu\temp storage
    2. or
  2. Enter "\\tcaup-storage.adsroot.itcs.umich.edu\temp storage" in the Address box of a Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer window.

For college or university Macs that also use uniqname logins:

  1. Under the Go menu, select Connect to server, using the server and folder name:
    smb://tcaup-storage.adsroot.itcs.umich.edu/Temp Storage

Laptop users or other machines which do not use the university's uniqname login system will now see a login prompt when they follow the steps above and will need to enter information as follows:

Off–campus Access

There are two ways to access Temp Storage from off-campus. The simplest is to use the downloadable VPN software provide here by ITCS. Once connected by VPN, which works from wired or wireless connections anywhere, use the "On-campus access" instructions above; access works just as though you were here in the building. Another way to access Temp Storage is via the one of the sftp programs provided on the Blue Disc page — SSH Secure Shell for Windows machines and Fugu for Macs. sftp is also available using other applications (but not web browsers).

Once the sftp program is installed, the connection information needed by these sftp applications is:

Host name: tcaup-storage.adsroot.itcs.umich.edu
User name: <uniqname>
Password: <user's Active Directory Password>

The SSH program for Windows comes with two parts — a Secure Shell Client and a Secure File Transfer Client; use the Secure File Transfer Client. Various sftp programs may have additional boxes or choices. On Fugu, the Mac sftp program, for example, there is a box for Port; these other boxes can normally be left blank.

sftp allows you to copy files (and folders) back and forth between your machine and the server. Using the Windows SSH program from the Blue Disc download makes it appear that you can double–click applications on the server, launch them, and then save them back on the server when you're done; this can be a time saver.