SIF guidance portal

SIF doesn't have quotas on space per say. So long as we're talking about data sizes up to terabytes, there shouldn't be a problem. If you need to store more than that contact us, and we'll find a solution.

All user data on SIF are automatically replicated across several disks using RAID technology. Furthermore, vi perform nightly automatic backup of all SIF system- and user data to a remote location.

SIF has obligatory 2-factor authentication of all access. We use the TOTP industry standard for single use codes generated on your device. Therefore, even if someone had intercepted your password, it would still be all but impossible for them to get unauthorised access. 

Data stored on SIF can only be accessed via hardened security protocols, and user data is solely saved on disks in encrypted form; all data access and storage use strong encryption. Moreover, SIF isolates user data on project basis, to prevent accidental leakage of sensitive data.

User data is exclusively saved on AU property, in the AU IT server room, which has physical access control. SIF is also subject to extra strict regulations in regards to operation, which means that only very few administrators can achieve access to decrypted user data, and always only after explicit approval of their superior.

To upload entire folders to SIF you can either use the effective file/folder-handling we describe under Effective data access, or you can access SIF as a network drive. In other words, you can copy folders to and from SIF through your file handling programme.

The SIF web-interface only supports up- and download of single files.

There are a number of special characters SIF will reject in file names, e.g. "< > { | } * ? [ ]". They are known for causing troubles, either because they are control characters with potentially harmful effect on the storage systems, or because they disturb web-use -display. We continually evaluate the need to permit further special characters so long as they do no harm either the user interface or the underlying systems. You are welcome to contact us, if there is a character you would like us to approve.

Out of security demands we don't store passwords in our systems, but only save a one-way derived hash-value. This means we cannot access forgotten passwords.

We do, however, permit that you change your password. As an AU employee or ph.d. student you typically log on to SIF via the access portal, which is tied to the central user database, and so uses your normal AU username and password.

Therefore, if you've forgotten your password or if it has expired you should follow the normal procedure or contact AU IT support for help.

The other SIF services - for instance SFTP and WebDAVS – uses your own login details, which you can change yourself on your SIF Setup page.

If you're using WebDAVS and get an error message that your file is too big, this is due to a limit set by Microsoft. The limit means that you get an error message if you attempt to download files larger than 50MB from your WebDAVS folder. Under Guides we show you how to solve this problem.

SIF sign-up for an AU employee

Overview 

Project management

Project administration 

Use SIF as external drive/WebDAVS

WebDAVS

Windows Files

Adjust the Windows size limit

Mac OSX Files

Linux Files

SFTP

Other clients

Linux Files

SSHFS

If you have any comments on how we can improve the user experience or any questions about SIF we would very much like to hear from you.

This applies to support as well, if you've come across something that doesn't work the way we've described. To help you as effectively as possible, please include information about the operating system and browser you're using in your query. If in doubt as to which operating system and browser you're using, you can check it by going to www.whatismybrowser.com or detectmybrowser.com. Send us the line under “Your web browser is:”, or in detectmybrowser, the line which begins “You're using”.

Screen shots are very useful here too, because they let us see exactly what you're seeing.

Contact us via email at sif-info.it@au.dk.