JLUBox/Hessenbox
IT service center websitesWhat is the JLU/Hessenbox?
With the JLU- or Hessenbox, the IT Service Center (Hochschulrechenzentrum, HRZ) offers an alternative to Dropbox or similar cloud storage services. This service is available free of charge to all students and employees. Employees receive 100 GB of storage space, while students receive 30 GB.
You can access your Hessenbox at the address jlubox.uni-giessen.de or via a special client that also allows data synchronization between your workstation computers and the Hessenbox.
A special feature of the Hessenbox is that you can restore previous versions of your files via the web interface.
Instructions for using the JLUbox/Hessenbox can be found on the IT service center websites.
Usage Scenarios
The main function of the Hessenbox is to store your data securely and in compliance with data protection regulations on servers of the IT service center. You can store your data in the Hessenbox via the web client or a desktop application. The desktop application ensures the synchronization of your data. Additionally, files or folders stored in your Hessenbox can be shared with other users (including external ones). Furthermore, the Hessenbox offers the ability to work on documents together (or alone). If you double-click a common office file (e.g., Word document) in the Hessenbox web client, you can edit the file directly in the browser. If you have shared the file with others, they can also edit the file simultaneously. You will see each other's changes in real-time.
Problems and Their Solutions
Synchronization vs. Collaborative Work
In our experience, problems including data loss can quickly arise if certain usage types of the JLUBox/Hessenbox are mixed. If you collaboratively edit files without using the web interface, the synchronization function of the desktop client can lead to data being overwritten. We generally recommend using only the web interface for collaborative editing of files.
Backing Up Data on Laboratory Computers
It is often useful to back up measurement data from laboratory computers directly into the Hessenbox. However, these are generally used by two or more people, so logging in with a personal user account does not seem practical. In this case, an "impersonal functional account with email function" can be requested. If you want to make use of this option, you can send an informal application by email to IT support. We recommend CC'ing our email address it@fb09.uni-giessen.de so that we can assist you with the application and setup if necessary. We are also happy to answer your questions on best practices regarding backing up laboratory computers.
Hard Drive Full!
By default, the Hessenbox stores its data on the C: drive of your PC. This can lead to data not being synchronized if there is not enough local storage available on small drives. Additionally, further problems can arise if there is not enough free hard drive space for paging or temporary files. In this case, we recommend moving the Hessenbox folder to another hard drive. This can be done via the Hessenbox client. If you have any questions, we are happy to assist.