LabArchives Backup#

BenchVault is built for labs that want a local preservation copy of LabArchives notebooks, not just a convenient web view. The app signs in to LabArchives, lists visible notebooks, and backs up notebooks that the account is allowed to download through the backup API.

What BenchVault Preserves#

  • The original LabArchives backup archive.

  • Extracted notebook pages for read-only offline review.

  • Reported original attachment files when they are present in the backup.

  • A readable search copy for local and optional AI-assisted search.

  • Integrity fingerprints that warn if protected local backup files change.

Why Full-Size Backup Matters#

LabArchives is the working notebook system, but a hosted notebook is not the same as an independent local backup. A lab may need local access during service outages, travel, account transitions, internal review, or research record handoff.

BenchVault keeps the backup workflow separate from notebook editing. It does not add, update, delete, upload, or write content back to LabArchives.

Access Expectations#

Full-size notebook backup is generally owner-only at NIH. A notebook may be visible to an account but still fail full-size backup if that account is not the notebook owner.