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Who is responsible for deleting and cleaning up data?

The owner of a storage space, for example, team leader is responsible for ensuring and guiding the data cleanup. Users of the storage space are responsible for their own data.

Deleting data

In general, all unnecessary work materials should be deleted as part of your regular tasks. Delete drafts, working versions and outdated materials when they are no longer needed. Save all files that need to be retained in group storage spaces. Dedicate time for regular cleaning and archiving of important data with your team.

If you have personal files, such as your own photos that are unrelated to your work or studies, move them to an external service. Aalto University storage is not intended for storing personal files.

In addition to personal storage spaces, data in group storage spaces should also be cleaned regularly. Ensure that only necessary files are kept in group storage spaces.

Tip!:

• Start with the oldest:
If a folder haven't been touched in years, it might be a good candidate for cleaning.
• Start with the largest:
If a folder contains big files, it might be a good candidate for cleaning.
   

Cleaning up data before leaving Aalto

Before leaving Aalto, discuss the transfer of job-related data with your supervisor. There should not be any so-called dead data left at Aalto without a new owner. Ownership means being responsible for the data in terms of its deletion and archiving.

If a person has already left Aalto

Supervisors can delete unnecessary data. If there is no statutory, regulatory or contractual retention obligation, someone else's documents should not be kept just in case. The primary preparer is responsible for the maintenance of shared material.

All unnecessary or dead data must be deleted. This includes data that:

• is in a folder that no active account has access to.
• is accessible but no longer makes sense to anyone.
• is accessible but cannot be found, that is, no one knows where to look. For example, forgotten Teams, wiki workspaces, or network drives (not mapped by anyone).

What if the data was important?

Important data should be retained in the system or network drive specified in the Records Management Plan TOS, and the retention period should be clear to others. Storing on a network drive requires an owner as well as precise records of retention periods and obligations.

If important data has been deleted, files can usually be recovered, for example, from the recycle bin or backups, depending on where the data was originally located.

Read instructions for recovering files:

Restoring a file (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Files located on Aalto's network drives can be recovered from ‘snapshot’ copies or long-term backups. Snapshot copies can be restored by the user within 60 days. Long-term backups are stored separately and can be restored upon request (contact IT Service Desk at servicedesk@aalto.fi).

Instructions for file backup:

File backup (Network drives)

From cloud storage services, users can recover files from the recycle bin of the service. For example, OneDrive has a tiered recycle bin for deleted data. Aalto University does not currently have long-term backups for cloud storage services. Therefore, cloud storage is not suitable for important files that need to be retained.

Other considerations for data deletion

Due to the security settings and backups of storage spaces, deleting data will free up storage space with a delay. For example, in OneDrive and network drives, space is freed up only after a few months.