Zuckerman Storage Service

The Research Computing team has launched a dedicated, robust, large capacity scientific data storage system called Engram to support research and collaboration for Zuckerman researchers.  The system has an initial capacity of roughly two (2) petabytes (2,000 terabytes) and is designed to accommodate growth of tens of thousands of terabytes (TB) over the next years if required.

About Engram

Engram is a highly versatile scale-out network-attached storage (NAS) platform (EMC Isilon) that can provide fast access to massive amounts of unstructured data. Each of the 24 Engram storage nodes can respond to client requests and all the nodes are connected via a redundant 10 gigabit per second (Gbps) Ethernet fiber optic network. Your data on Engram is backed up to tape, and a copy is stored off-site in a safe and secure location, for disaster recovery cases.

Engram is designed as the primary storage for the Institute, and you are encouraged to centralize your data and workflows around it. You can do any or all of this on Engram:

• Connect all your computers and servers to it
  
• Collect data directly to it
• Compute and analyze data on it
  

We can help you find the best way to use Engram for your particular research - please contact us at rc@zi.columbia.edu.

How to Connect to Engram

Connect to Engram from Mac
Connect to Engram from Windows
Connect to Engram from Linux
Connect to Engram from Synology
Set Up a Proxy in Windows

Types of Storage and Rates

Engram has three storage levels.

Each lab gets either:

• 10 TB of free locker level disk space, or
•   7 TB of free labshare level disk space, or
•   5 TB of free staging level disk space

Additional storage can be purchased in 1 TB increments.

Billing occurs every 6 months via your chart string.

Rates (in the table below) are per Terabyte (TB) per year.

We can help you decide which storage level to start with. Please contact us at rc@zi.columbia.edu.

Data Life Cycle

You control the data stored on Engram. Your data will never be deleted. Only you can delete your data.

Accessing Your Data

Engram is network-attached storage (NAS), also known as network drive in Windows or linux drive on Mac/Linux.

It is just like a USB drive you plug into your computer - but instead of plugging the USB drive into your computer with a USB cable, Engram is on the network.

In Windows, Engram shows up as a network drive with a letter (for example P:). On Mac, you will see it as a folder in Finder. In Linux, it shows up just like a USB drive, mounted under its own directory.

For all practical purposes, Engram network drive has a functionality of a local drive or folder. It is directly attached to your computer or server. You can access data on it just like on a USB drive or a local directory.

And since it is a network drive, it can be accessed from multiple computers and servers. In other words, multiple computers can access the same data, at the same time.

Engram can be accessed:

• From anywhere on Columbia University downtown campus or Manhattanville
  • By connecting your computer to the network with a physical network cable
  • By using "Columbia U Secure" Wi-Fi
  • Note: "Columbia University" Wi-Fi is open and insecure and cannot be used to reach Engram
• From outside the University by using Virtual Private Network (VPN) ( VPN Setup )
• From CUMC: under special circumstances we will work with CUMC IT to open their firewall to allow access to Engram from CUMC locations. Please contact us at rc@zi.columbia.edu

Backing Up Your Data

Data on Engram labshare and locker levels is backed up to tape. We can back up your data on staging storage level if requested.

Tapes are encrypted and periodically moved to a secure offsite location.

Tape backup is the only data protection technology that protects your data against ransomware. Replication (syncing) solutions do not protect against ransomware.

Restoring Your Data

To request data restore please open a restore request by sending email to rc@zi.columbia.edu and tell us:

1. The lab you are from
2. The directory from which you would like the files to be restored
3. A date range (for example, please restore these files from September 15, 2017)

Requesting Access to Existing Storage

If your lab already has a network drive and you need access to it, please send the following information to rc@zi.columbia.edu:

1. Your lab name
2. Your full name and UNI
3. Name of the network drive you need access to

Requesting New Storage

To request new storage please send the following information to rc@zi.columbia.edu:

1. How large a network drive you need
2. Engram Storage Level (Staging, Labshare or Locker)
3. List of UNIs that should have access to this network drive.

Labshare and Locker storage levels are automatically backed up to tape. If you need the Staging storage level to be backed up on tape please mention this in your service request.

Please check the storage pricing above (under "Types of Storage and Rates").

We can help you with the disk storage sizing for your lab, please contact us at rc@zi.columbia.edu.

Requesting More Storage

To add additional storage capacity to your network drive please send the following information to rc@zi.columbia.edu:

1. Your lab name
2. Your full name and UNI
3. Name of the network drive you would like more storage capacity added to
4. How much additional drive capacity you would like to have, in 1 TB increments

Problems Connecting to Engram

If you have problems connecting to Engram, please follow these troubleshooting steps, in order:

1. Have you ever successfully connected to your Engram drive before?
2. Have you requested access to your Engram drive?
3. For username, make sure you put ADCU in front of your UNI (Windows): ADCU\Your_UNI
4. Are you typing your UNI password correctly? Can you log into other Columbia University services?
5. Make sure your computer is connected to "Columbia U Secure" Wi-Fi network. "Columbia University" Wi-Fi is open and insecure and cannot be used to to reach Engram
6. Reboot your computer

If, after all this, you still cannot connect to Engram, please contact us at rc@zi.columbia.edu

and include:

• Name of your lab
• Your full name and UNI
• Engram drive full path (example: locker-nfs.engram.rc.zi.columbia.edu\YourLab-locker)

What does Engram look like?

Engram is a 24-node storage cluster. All 24 nodes serve data. Data is backed up to tape. A copy of each tape is taken off-site to a secure facility.

Would you like to see what Engram looks like?  Email us at rc@zi.columbia.edu and we will give you a tour.

Important Links

Set up Columbia University VPN (CUIT Service)
Change your UNI password (CUIT Service)