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Archival Backup Retirement Project

Service Retirement Overview

SCS Computing Facilities is retiring the existing Archival Backup Service (TiBS). The service has been in containment since November 13, 2025, with no new systems added as we prepared for its retirement. 

The vendor behind TiBS has ended operations, and the tape‑based system is no longer a modern or sustainable solution for today’s storage and recovery needs. Retiring the service ensures that future data‑protection options remain reliable for your needs and capable of supporting current and long‑term storage demands.

What This Means for You 

You’ve been identified as a contact for one or more computers enrolled in TiBS, and those systems will need a new long‑term backup solution. As part of the retirement project, SCS Computing Facilities is contacting users with systems enrolled in the service to understand how each device is currently being used and to guide you through the transition. Our goal is to help ensure your computer is matched with the service best suited to its support needs.

Backup Options

Two supported services will be available moving forward, each designed for a different protection model and operational need. Expand the sections below to learn how each service works and which types of systems it best supports.

CrashPlan is designed to protect user data on mobile and desktop systems used by a single individual. Our implementation is limited to these endpoint devices and does not support servers, shared systems or storage, or other systems requiring server-level backup protection.

Key features include:

  • No cost to you
  • Continuous, versioned backup of user directories
  • Self‑service restore options
  • Support for Windows, macOS, and Linux
Learn more: CrashPlan

To provide a modern replacement for operational backup and recovery, Computing Services is introducing a centrally managed enterprise backup service powered by Commvault.

What's Included?

This service is intended for university servers located outside the Campus Cloud hosted environment. Supported platforms include:

  • Windows
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • macOS
  • Physical and virtual servers
  • SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, and PostgreSQL workloads

What's Not Included?

Campus Cloud Backup is designed specifically for operational server backup and recovery. It is not intended for:

  • Long-term or multi-year archival storage
  • Desktop and laptop backup
  • Full-site disaster recovery or automatic site failover
  • Hypervisor-level snapshot protection for systems outside Campus Cloud

Departments with disaster recovery requirements should work with Computing Services to evaluate those needs separately.

Pricing Overview

Pricing varies based on the number of systems and amount of protected storage. We are happy to work with your department to determine the appropriate service level and provide a clear cost estimate before onboarding.

Learn More

Need Help?

What's the Best Option for Me?

Computer Use Description Recommended Next Steps Cost
Individual Use Primarily used by one person for day-to-day work Move the computer to CrashPlan Data Protection Service No cost
Shared or Service Use Used by multiple people, runs without a monitor, is not regularly logged into by an individual, or provides applications, data, or services to others. Determine eligibility for the Computing Services Backup Service (Commvault) Cost varies; We can work with you to provide a clear cost estimate
No longer in use The computer is no longer needed. Remove it from backup or retire computer

 
Next Steps for Your Computer

If you’re ready to transition your system or confirm the correct backup option, our team is here to help. We’ll review your device, provide a recommendation, and guide you through next steps.

  1. Complete the webform
    Use the webform link provided in your email to share details about your computer and its current use. If you cannot locate the webform, please contact us at help@cs.cmu.edu for assistance.
  2. A ServiceNow ticket is created 
    Your webform submission generates a ticket so our team can evaluate your system and determine the most appropriate backup solution.
  3. We review your system and provide guidance
    An SCS Computing team member will contact you with a recommended backup path and outline any migration steps.
  4. Contact us anytime
    If you have questions or need assistance, email help@cs.cmu.edu for support.

Please note: If we don’t receive the information needed to determine the appropriate backup solution, the Archival Backup Service for this computer will be discontinued. No new backups will be created after service retirement, and existing TiBS backup data will remain available for a limited time. The final retention date for historical TiBS backups has not yet been determined and will be communicated once finalized.