On Friday, January 20, Palmetto’s server and backup server crashed, meaning that teachers and administrators lost any and all fi les saved to the server. Rolando Castillo, Palmetto’s computer specialist, explained to Principal Howard Weiner on Friday, January 28, that the crash was “a perfect storm …it never should have happened.” Against all odds, an electrical spike caused a low-voltage signal that simultaneously disrupted both the primary server and backup UPS server.
“The UPS actually did what it was supposed to do, but with the spike, a low-voltage surge caused both the UPS server and the backup to go down at the same time,” Weiner said.
“This is a very, very unique situation and it shouldn’t have happened, but it did.”
For some members of the faculty, this unexpected crash meant the unrecoverable loss of all documents dating back, for some, 15-plus years. Dee Jordan, Curricular Secretary, lost 19 years worth of work, including curriculum guides, senior and underclassmen awards, applications, programs “for almost everything in the building,” and all 50th anniversary, Panther’s Got Talent and Panther for a Day materials.
“If it’s [sic] not retrieved, then we have to recreate everything,” Jordan said. “It will defi nitely make our [hers and Lima’s] jobs more difficult.
But hopefully there will be a light at the end of the tunnel.” Angie Lima, Activities Director, lost “everything,” when the server crashed. However, both she and Assistant Principal Clint Bales recovered their fi les.
“They were able to find my files, I’m not sure how, but they did,” Lima said. “Most of my fi les are here and I’m working with Mr. Castillo, so I’m very grateful and happy.”
Andrea Spivak, Language Arts department head and AP English IV teacher, lost 15 years worth of work that she saved to the server.
“I had 15 years of notes, assignments, exams and Power Points , as well as information that I use to run the language arts department,” Spivak said.
Despite these setbacks, Spivak did not lose everything because she saved certain files externally and printed hard copies of her work. “I had some files saved on disc, but not everything. I have two big binders of lesson plans and assignments that now have to be recreated or scanned.” Weiner says that to prevent another crash like this from occurring in the future, the school will “install additional hardware to the system.”
However, as technology is never 100 percent reliable, Weiner urges teachers and staff to take the proper precautions individually.
“I still personally recommend that staff members have a personal jump drive or external hard drive to use as backup to protect their intellectual properties.”
