How to protect your data
using MUNI storage services
Work with your files directly in the storage service.
Keep them stored, accessible, and protected against loss.
Simply, securely, and with support from MUNI.
Save your files where they belong
Files stored only on your computer can be lost in an instant due to a hard drive failure, an accident, or a security incident.
Files stored on university storage services, however, remain safe even if something happens to your computer. The university takes care of protecting them for you.
How can you do this in practice?
In this section, we will help you choose the right storage service and show you how to work with your data correctly. We have prepared brief guides for each option.
- A) Team storage SharePoint
- B) Personal storage OneDrive
- C) MUNI network storage for larger volumes of data
This guide is intended for:
- team work data that needs to be accessed by multiple people,
- personal work data that you primarily work with yourself.
Private data unrelated to your work or studies at MUNI should not be stored in university storage services. These services are not designed to protect private data according to each user’s individual needs. If you are unsure where forgotten files may be stored on your computer, see our practical tip.
Are you working with data subject to exceptionally strict security requirements?
If you work with data subject to exceptionally strict contractual, regulatory, or research requirements — for example, unencrypted medical records—the standard managed solutions listed below may not be suitable.
In such cases, a specialised solution must be used. Further details are available here.
Before you start using the storage services, bear in mind that upload times depend on the amount of data. Start the transfer when your device can remain switched on until it is complete.
What storage services can you use?
A) Team Storage – SharePoint
For team work data, meaning files that belong to a team, project, department, or workplace and need to be accessible to multiple people.
- Suitable for: project materials, meeting minutes, guidelines, templates, shared documents, and other collaborative work files.
- Not suitable for: private data, personal work files, large videos, databases, or extensive research data.
B) Your Personal Storage – OneDrive
For personal work data, meaning files that you primarily work with yourself—not private data.
- Suitable for: documents, spreadsheets, presentations, text files, source code, a limited number of images, and a small number of videos, such as teaching materials.
- Not suitable for: private data, team documents intended for collaborative management, databases, large or frequently edited videos, or data subject to specific security or storage requirements.
➤ I want to use OneDrive for personal work files.
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You’ll need an internet connection.
Let’s get started
You can save your work files directly to the OneDrive folder on your computer and work with them just like regular files. When you are connected to the internet, they automatically sync with cloud storage in the background, so they remain continuously available on your other devices as well. If your computer is lost, damaged, or compromised, the latest synced versions of your files will remain available in OneDrive.
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Sign in to the OneDrive app
Enter your university email address in the format UČO@muni.cz in the “Email address” field (1), then click “Sign in” (2). On the MUNI sign-in screen, select “Use your password instead”, enter your primary MUNI account password, and click “Sign in”.
If the OneDrive folder opens immediately instead of a sign-in or setup window, the OneDrive client is probably already configured and your files are being synced. In that case, no further setup is required and continue to step 8.
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Back up your files
OneDrive will now show the location of the folder that will be synced with your MUNI account. Unless you want to change the location, keep the default setting and click “Next”. In the following step, leave folder backup enabled and click “Start backup”.
In the next steps, always click next:
- Sharing: Click “Next”. You can configure file sharing later directly in the OneDrive – MUNI folder.
- Move files: Click “Next”. You will move files to the OneDrive – MUNI folder later, after selecting the important documents.
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File availability
This screen explains how OneDrive indicates file availability. Click “Next” to continue.
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Select the files you want to upload
Now check the following locations on your computer and upload the files you have decided to back up.
📁 Downloads (if you keep work files there)
📁 Any folders you use to store your workSimply copy or drag the selected files and folders into your OneDrive folder.
You can tell whether a file is synchronized by the status icon next to its name in File Explorer. A blue cloud or a green check mark means that the file is also stored in OneDrive. More specifically:
- blue cloud – the file is synchronized and stored online only,
- green check mark – the file is synchronized and also stored on your computer,
- circular arrows – synchronization is currently in progress,
- red cross – the file could not be synchronized.
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You’re done — repeat if necessary
Once the folder has been set up, you should work with the backed-up files directly in it. Treat it as the main location for creating, editing, and saving documents that you want OneDrive to sync continuously.
For example, you have an important document called “My meeting notes” on your desktop and want to back it up.
- Move it from the desktop to the OneDrive – MUNI folder.
- Continue editing the document in Word as usual.
- OneDrive continuously syncs your changes online.
- You can later access the document from another computer by signing in to Microsoft 365.
Once the transfer is complete, check that:
- Move it from the desktop to the OneDrive – MUNI folder.
- Drive continuously syncs your changes online.
- Continue editing the document in Word as usual
Frequently asked questions about using OneDrive
Can I also use OneDrive on a macOS computer?
Yes. OneDrive is also available for macOS. Install the app and sign in using your university email address in the format učo@muni.cz. Then complete the sign-in process through MUNI.
Once setup is complete, you will find the OneDrive folder in Finder and can work with it just like any other folder on your computer. When you are connected to the internet, the files stored there will automatically sync with cloud storage.
Detailed instructions for macOS: Installing and setting up OneDrive for Mac
I can’t set up the OneDrive folder on my device. How else can I save my files?
Open the OneDrive app in Microsoft 365.
How do I sign in?
- Go to https://onedrive.live.com/login and sign in using your account in the format učo@muni.cz (for example, 123456@muni.cz). You will be redirected to the MUNI single sign-on page.
- On the sign-in page, enter your UČO and primary password. This is the same password you use to sign in to INET.
- In Microsoft 365, open the OneDrive app.
How do I proceed after signing in?
(The instructions below work like a presentation—navigate by moving the slides to the left or right.)
What if I have more than 100 GB of data?
Your OneDrive has a capacity of 100 GB (you can see your current storage usage in the bottom-left corner under “Storage”) If you have more data, upload the files that cannot be replaced first, such as your own documents, work in progress, and work results. Contact IT support for advice on storage needs exceeding this limit.
C) Network Storage – Ha-bay
For large files and datasets that are not suitable for standard cloud storage services.
- Suitable for: large collections of videos, databases, extensive research data, virtual machines, or data intended for more demanding processing.
- Not suitable for: files that are accessed or modified very frequently, or unencrypted medical records.
➤ I want to use network storage
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You’ll need an internet connection.
Let’s get started
Network storage is a general term, and users may have access to several different storage locations. On your computer, it may appear as an additional drive that you can use in much the same way as files stored directly on the device. However, it can also be accessed in other ways.
If you use a centrally managed computer, you will find the Ha-bay network storage in File Explorer as drive O:.
Employees using centrally managed devices usually have access to it automatically, so there is no need to request access. Instructions for working with this storage are provided below.
How do I get access to network storage?
- Access to network storage is provided upon request. Contact the IT administrator at your workplace or use the Consult a solution and request storage form.
- In your request, you will need to specify:
- the type of data you want to store,
- the approximate amount of data,
- whether the storage will be for personal use or shared,
- who will need access to the data,
- how often and in what way you will work with it.
- Based on this information, the administrator will set up a suitable storage space or recommend another solution.
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Connect to the MUNI network
Important: You can use network storage only if access has been set up for you in advance. For details, see the section How do I get access to network storage? (above).
- Network storage is directly accessible only from the university network, including eduroam, MUNI Wi-Fi, and wired connections. If you are working from home, travelling for work, or using another network outside MUNI, first connect via eduVPN.
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Connect the network storage to your computer
The procedure varies depending on your operating system:
- For Windows
- For macOS
- For Linux (Ubuntu)
- Using the protocol Samba (SMB)
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Upload files or folders
Check the following locations on your computer and upload the files you have decided to back up.
- 📁 Desktop
- 📁 Documents
- 📁 Download files (if you keep work files there)
- 📁 Folders you use to store your work
Three tips to make working with multiple files easier:
- If you hold down Ctrl while selecting files, you can click individual files in any order and select only those you want to move together.
- Click the first file, hold down Shift, and then click the last file to select the entire continuous range of files between them.
To select all files in a folder at once, press Ctrl + A. This selects all files and folders in the currently open folder, which you can then copy or move to the storage location.
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You’re done — repeat if necessary
Confirm your selection and repeat the process as needed until all the files you want to back up are stored on the network storage. The transfer time depends on the amount of data and the speed of your internet connection. While the transfer is in progress, do not close the browser or turn off your computer.
For reference, we have also included a video showing what the entire process looks like.
Frequently asked questions about using network storage
Who will be able to see the files I upload to the storage?
It depends on the folder to which you upload the data. Your personal folder is accessible only to you. Department folders are available to members of the relevant department, while project folders and other shared folders are visible to members of the group that has been granted access. Before uploading more sensitive files, make sure you know who can access the selected folder.
Keep in mind that a network drive does not offer the same real-time co-authoring features as SharePoint. When working on a shared document, one user should save and close it before another user opens it. SharePoint is generally more suitable for documents that several people need to edit at the same time.
What if I accidentally delete or overwrite a file?
Network storage is backed up regularly, and restore points are created continuously. To request file recovery, contact storage@ics.muni.cz.
Please include the following information in your request:
- the exact path to the original file,
- the file name,
- the approximate time when the file was deleted or overwritten,
- the date and time of the version you need to restore.
The recovery period is limited, so submit your request as soon as possible.
What if I need to store an extremely large amount of data or create a long-term archive?
Ha-Bay is intended primarily for larger volumes of work data that are actively used. For extremely large data volumes, long-term archives, full system backups, or specialised computing tasks, large-scale storage, CESNET archival services, or computing-centre storage may be more suitable. More information is available on the MUNI IT website. In such cases, we strongly recommend consulting the IT administrators at your workplace, who can propose a suitable technical solution.
Tip: review your local folders carefully
Files that are important for your work should not remain stored only on your computer. Losing them due to device failure, loss, or a security incident could put you in a very difficult situation.
➤ Where should you look?
Your goal is to identify the files that are important to you. Focus particularly on these common locations:
📁 Desktop
📁 Documents
📁 Downloads
📁 Your own folders on the drive, typically C: or D:
Ask yourself a simple question: If this computer stopped working tomorrow, which files would I truly regret losing?
Move those files to the appropriate storage service.
➤ What about USB drives and external drives?
USB drives, external drives, and other removable media may be affected by device failure or a cybersecurity incident just like the computer to which they are connected. Storing files on an external drive alone therefore cannot be considered sufficient protection against data loss, and removable media should not be the only place where your files are stored.
Important work data stored on removable media should also be saved to the appropriate university storage service—SharePoint, OneDrive, or network storage, depending on the type of data.
When using removable media:
- do not leave it permanently connected to your computer,
- do not rely on it as your only backup,
- regularly save important data to an appropriate university storage service,
- use only trusted and approved media,
- do not connect unknown USB drives obtained, for example, at conferences, trade fairs, or other events,
- use encrypted media protected by a strong password whenever possible.
Always use approved university storage services rather than USB drives or other portable media for transferring and storing sensitive data.
How should you work with storage services in the long term?
Storage services are not something you use only once. They should be part of your everyday work. To keep your files protected over the long term and ensure that you are always working with the latest version, create and edit them directly in your chosen storage service, such as SharePoint or OneDrive.
- If you continue editing only the original copy stored elsewhere, the changes will not be transferred to the online storage automatically.
- Working directly in the online storage helps you avoid duplicate files and situations where it is unclear which version is the latest. Once you get into the habit of saving files there from the start, your data will remain protected without the need for manual backups.
- SharePoint and OneDrive are part of Microsoft 365, which is available at MUNI. Microsoft 365 supports a range of useful digital working practices. To learn more, we recommend taking our online course.
What to do if you need help?
Please contact our colleagues at it@muni.cz or the IT administrator at your workplace.