How to Access the Course Server:

When recording using a tape-based system, the client can walk out at the end of the session with the tapes (assuming the bill has been paid, of course!) and continue work on the project at another studio. When using a disk-based recording system like Pro Tools, the tracks you create are stuck inside your computer at the end of your session. In order to move a project from studio to studio, or from control room to another control room in a multi-room facility, you need a way of backing up your project work to some medium that will let you transport the data.

Backing up your work is critical:

• Your client is paying good money to work in your facility and expects you to do it for them
• You may not be able to access the same computer system if it is in use by another client or being repaired.
• The computer's hard drive may fail, or one or more files may become corrupted, preventing you from ever opening your project.
• There could be a flood or fire in the facility or the county Sheriff could take possession of the studio.
• Your client has also worried about these things, and they may feel more comfortable leaving with a backup after each session.

There are a number of successful strategies that studios have used to transfer session data files from place to place. One can backup a project to optical media (such as CD-R or DVD-R) or backup tape systems (Exabyte, DDS-2) and use "Sneaker-Net" to transport the files (i.e., hand carry them) from computer to computer. In some studios, a portable Firewire hard disk drive is brought from room to room. The advantage of this method is that the session can be run directly from the drive, with no time lost copying files. Of course, if your project only exists on the portable drive—and that drive crashes—it's not really an effective backup strategy!

Another strategy that studios use for interim storage of active projects is the use of a Local Area Network, or LAN. A LAN is a group of interconnected computers, printers and storage devices within a building that are physically connected via Ethernet or via a wireless transmission. LAN systems often have a data router that each computer in the network is connected to. Alternately, some LANs have a dedicated computer that acts as a central server for the network. While many LANs provide access to the Internet via a shared data connection, it may not be possible for a computer outside of the LAN to connect to the network. This is because most LANs have a "firewall" to hide network members and prevent unauthorized access.

When using a LAN for storage, any computer in the network can access one or more of the network disk drives. For example, a session begun in Studio A can be stored on a server drive, and the data can be accessed by the computer in Studio C to mix the project.

In our case, there is an Mac G4 computer in Scott Christie's office that acts as the server for the CART and MTEC computer labs. The name of this server is "cartmacfiles".

You can access the server with the following procedure:

1. From the Finder (Mac OS), Select "Connect to Server" from the "Go" menu (or type Apple-K).
2. Type "cartmacfiles.local" as the server address (it may already be listed as the default address).
3. Enter the name "m201a" if you are enrolled in the morning section or "m201b" if enrolled in the afternoon section (note lower case).
4. Enter the password that was assigned in class.
5. You may see a couple of volumes to choose from. Select MTEC201-a (or -b).

If you have successfully done these steps, you should see a window with several folders in it including:

• A Pickup Box, to get course project files from the instructor
• A Dropoff Box, to submit your projects when they are completed
• A folder that you created for storing projects you are working on.

[If you have not created a folder of your own, you can do so by clicking on the gear icon on the top of the window and selecting "New Folder." Title your folder by clicking on the the word "Untitled"; when the text highlights, just type the new title.]

Once the course server window is open, transferring files is a simple matter of dragging and dropping files to or from this window. As an example, open the "Pickup Box" folder and drag the Project 1 folder to your computer's hard drive or desktop. The files will begin to copy from the server to your computer. After the files are copied, you can begin working with them. Keep in mind that you cannot run a Pro Tools session that is located on the server: you must first copy the session to the local drive on your computer and run it from there.

To back up the files at the end of your session, simply drag the project folder from the hard drive and drop it in your subfolder in the server window. (This will take a few minutes—be sure to budget some time for this.) When you have finished backing up the files, log out of the server by dragging its icon (see above) to the trash.

Four Rules to Remember:

• Remember to log out. Failure to do this leaves the entire class's work open to the next person to use the lab. It may also make it hard for the next person to log in correctly to their server.
• Respect the files of others.
• Respect the copyrights of others. Don't use the server to share copyrighted materials.
• No food near the stations—EVER!

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