Schools' laptop data at risk
26.07.2007
Many schools have no way of protecting information held on teachers' laptops, according to research by secure server supplier Equiinet. The company said 70% of schools do not have a system in place for protecting data, despite the large number of teachers who are now using laptops to create lesson plans and store information. The company said the potential for data loss makes schools vulnerable. The survey quizzed 477 schools across England and Wales about whether they back-up their data, and found that 85% back-up server information. Student coursework was found to be slightly vulnerable, however, with only 60% of schools saying it is definitely backed-up. Equiinet says teachers no longer need to manually back-up information onto a central server, as there is software available that will automatically perform back-ups whenever the laptop is connected to the internet. The survey also found that many schools do not have sufficient processes in place to restore lost data. David Abbot, product marketing director at the firm, said, "There can be no excuses - fully automated back up systems are available that cater for PCs and laptops, as well as servers.
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