Ipad backup

[pixellip]

Hi everyone

I was going to try to get a feel for what people use for their Ipad backup in schools....for teachers.

Do you invest in Icloud backup or are you using Itunes ( or are even people backing up their stuff?)

Google Drive is another but it looks like Icloud is the easiest no brain solution....

 

Just interested in what people do.

Thanks

[DJ-1701]

Have a think about what is stored or could be stored on the iPads and what you are thinking of backing up and then look at this thread if thinking of using cloud services.

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/cloud-services/159257-nov-2015-dfe-guidance-cloud-software-services-data-protection-act.html

[robsonma]

we dont back ours up, all apps are in our Meraki so can be re-installed, any data they need we tell them to Back up to google drive using the google drive app.

[enjay]

Ask yourself what your staff have on their iPads which might need backing up. For us, this is very little - mail and files are all in Google Drive, so all that resides on people's iPads are apps and photos (mostly of their kids!). We advise staff to use iCloud backup for their personal stuff and transfer any school stuff into Drive via the app.

[tmoon-mint]

Short answer is, we don't. Staff all have access to Onedrive for Business to backup photos and such.

[slancaster]

What really needs backing up?

[pixellip]

I'm not sure what people will be backing up - I am sure people will use it for both personal and work.

I'm more concerned about how to back up the apps and the data they do on them.

The thing I am thinking is that if you ask people to back things up - they don't do they.

With something like Icloud it seems very easy - but of course it needs paying for.

We use foldr which is ok but compared to just sliding an Icloud switch - well that's much easier.

Would you say Icloud is easier than Google Drive or OneDrive?

 

 

y

[enjay]

With something like Icloud it seems very easy - but of course it needs paying for.

First 5GB is free, which seems like plenty for work purposes, staff who wish to buy additional storage for personal use are free to do so (could be slightly problematic if you've encouraged staff to create AppleIDs associated with their school email address, as we have)

[slancaster]

Personally I say if its personal stuff, that aint my problem - if you loose photos of your cats or that high score on Candy Crush, then never mind.

 

As for school data, I believe as Techies we need to ensure this is as SAFE as possible by forcing passcode on the devices, and managing them so they can be remote wiped if lost or stolen. I also disable the ability to connect an iPad via USB to other devices (this is an easy way for a thief to snoop around).

 

We use Google heavily at our school (awesome) which means everything is saved in the cloud anyhow and is accessible by us if need be, where as Apple iCloud is not our domain so with your safe guarding head on, you are UNABLE to gain access to iCloud files so I would not advise backing up / storing work stuff on there.

Installing the Google Photos App means that any photos taken on the iPad automatically upload to your Google Drive, so these backup on the fly.

 

iPads can be built quickly and easily these days, and with cloud services becoming more popular there is even less of a reason for a local or "iCloud" backup of an iPad - TBH, you dont want a backup of an enterprise iPad as it will mess up your restrictions enforced on it.

[enjay]

We use Google heavily at our school (awesome) which means everything is saved in the cloud anyhow and is accessible by us if need be, where as Apple iCloud is not our domain so with your safe guarding head on, you are UNABLE to gain access to iCloud files so I would not advise backing up / storing work stuff on there.

Good point, I'd not considered that... We encourage (but don't insist) staff to use an AppleID bound to their school email address, so if needed we could reset their AppleID password, access their email and then from there to their iCloud. This is a PITA though, and not all staff followed the advice to use school addresses.

[slancaster]

Dealing with Teachers at the best of times is a PITA....

 

We don't need Apple ID's now as we use VPP, MDM and Supervised iPads. I say they can sign in if they wish to download their own Apps, but leave enough storage space on for work. Our policy states that data is their responsibility and if you want a favour you need to bring us lots of cakes...

[enjay]

with your safe guarding head on, you are UNABLE to gain access to iCloud files so I would not advise backing up / storing work stuff on there.

Although, we're also unable to gain access to home PCs and memory sticks, not to mention any paper records the staff member is keeping (securely, of course) at home...

[slancaster]

Yeah its a headache, all we can do is advise and inform staff of how stupid it is to do certain things but they don't listen. For the record though... "we told you so" if anything does happen.

[enjay]

Our policy states ... you need to bring us lots of cakes

Surely that's practice not policy! :-) I'm currently re-writing our staff AUP, maybe I'll put a similar entry in the new version...

[slancaster]

And wine...

[DJ-1701]

And wine...

 

But no whine.

[enjay]

Installing the Google Photos App means that any photos taken on the iPad automatically upload to your Google Drive, so these backup on the fly.

Thanks for mentioning this, by the way. I'm sure Google Photos wasn't an iApp last time I looked, so this could be useful.

 

Slight hitch (probably an unavoidable one) is the app syncs everything to one Google account, even if though I have more than one account added on the device. So I can view photos in my school or personal Drive, but any photos I take from my iPad upload to my school Drive. Not a biggie, as I can just delete personal ones from school Drive and manually upload them to personal Drive via the Drive app, but something to be aware of nonetheless.

[slancaster]

Thanks for mentioning this, by the way. I'm sure Google Photos wasn't an iApp last time I looked, so this could be useful.

 

Slight hitch (probably an unavoidable one) is the app syncs everything to one Google account, even if though I have more than one account added on the device. So I can view photos in my school or personal Drive, but any photos I take from my iPad upload to my school Drive. Not a biggie, as I can just delete personal ones from school Drive and manually upload them to personal Drive via the Drive app, but something to be aware of nonetheless.

 

I getchya, good to make staff aware of where their photos will go (eg auto upload).

The Google Photos App is ace, lets you easily create collages, animations and videos - so if staff take photos of a event, they just tap the images, then create movie and shazam! they gots a promo movie. No need for iMovie, or exporting and faffing...

[enjay]

I getchya, good to make staff aware of where their photos will go (eg auto upload).

The Google Photos App is ace, lets you easily create collages, animations and videos - so if staff take photos of a event, they just tap the images, then create movie and shazam! they gots a promo movie. No need for iMovie, or exporting and faffing...

 

Ooh, that could be an interesting solution for a teacher who is struggling to find available IT Suites for her once-per-fortnight class to do some film making...

[slancaster]

Ooh, that could be an interesting solution for a teacher who is struggling to find available IT Suites for her once-per-fortnight class to do some film making...

 

Great for 1:1 users, if the iPads are shared this may not work as they would have to sign in / out etc.

We use Google Apps for 1:1 devices, and just the web based Google services for shared devices (not great).

[enjay]

Great for 1:1 users, if the iPads are shared this may not work as they would have to sign in / out etc.

We use Google Apps for 1:1 devices, and just the web based Google services for shared devices (not great).

 

We're running BYOD and picked Google Apps because it is the most cross-platform of the options, only really Windows Phone which is a problem.

[slancaster]

Ace, Google Photos could work well for you.

[slancaster]

How do you find BYOD out of interest? I've heard it tagged as "Bring Your Own Disaster" by some people I guess a lot of it depends on the type of school and students too.

[enjay]

Ooh, that could be an interesting solution for a teacher who is struggling to find available IT Suites for her once-per-fortnight class to do some film making...

 

Hmm, perhaps not. Very limited for video editing - you can trim the start or end of a clip but not something from the middle, titles are limited and you can't add your own soundtrack. Good for a slideshow of photos from a trip or activity, as you suggest, where previously I would have used Movie Maker or Photo Story but no good as a film editor.

[slancaster]

Yeah its definitely a quick way of putting something together. IMovie works well on iOS for slightly more detailed editing.