Retention Policy
To eliminate cruft in the IT office and storage closet, all items and data must be retained or discarded according to a set of rules. Every object in the office or closet adds complexity to work.
Boxes
Keep boxes from new devices such as printers and computers in the clocktower to simplify the return process. All boxes must be labelled with a discard date 90 days from the day the box is stored. Once a semester, clear the clocktower of boxes past the discard date.
Paper documents
Store all paper documents digitally. If a physical copy must be kept, consult with Elizabeth Johnson. Follow the Filing Conventions when naming files.
User manuals
Keep digital copies of user manuals CES IT files in a manufacturer subfolder. Discard paper copies. PDFs of user manuals are almost always available online. If there is no digital copy available online, discard the physical copy without retaining a digital copy.
Regulatory notices and setup guides
Discard all regulatory notices and setup guides.
Warranty
Scan and store warranty documents in CES IT files in a manufacturer subfolder.
Files
Scan and store all other paper documents in the CES IT files in an author subfolder. If a document has multiple authors, store a copy in a subfolder for each author.
Phone Directories
Paul Dzus began the habit of keeping phone directories in September, 2006. This habit was not kept between Spring 2016 and Fall 2018.
Scan and store the directory in the Files folder on Box in the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies subfolder. Keep the physical copy with the other phone directories.
Software
Follow the naming convention in each manufacturer or developer folder. If there is no naming convention, follow the generic one in the Installers folder.
Driver disks
Store driver installers in the Installers folder on Box in a manufacturer subfolder. Drivers can be copied from the disk or downloaded from the Internet.
System restore disks
Store system restore disk ISOs in the Installers folder on Box in a manufacturer subfolder.
Software installers
Store software installers in the Installers folder on Box in a developer subfolder.
License keys
There is no retention policy for license keys.
Computer Hardware
Some computer hardware should be kept for easy and inexpensive upgrades to devices.
Memory modules
Keep memory modules 4GB or greater in The Box of Old Memories.
Power supplies
There is no retention policy for power supplies.
Hard drives
Keep empty hard drives with a capacity of 250GB or greater.
Data
Store all data according to Harvard Data Security Policy. If you are unsure about the security level of a storage service, do not use it. It may be in violation of a law or regulation, or Harvard policy.
Presentations
Store presentations sent in preparation for an event in the CES IT files in an author subfolder. If the presentation has more than one author, store a copy under a folder for each author. If someone other than the author sent the file, store a copy of the file in a folder named for the sender as well as the authors. Use the date the presentation was received. Name the file with the presentation's title, minus anything after the first colon. If the presentation does not have a title, use the title of the event. Always use title case. If more than one version of the presentation is received in the same day, denote the newest version with a number at the end of the file name. For example, "2018-04-19 The Silent Revolution in Reverse 2.ppt". Any ambiguity about which version is the latest can result in a speaker working from an old file during an event.