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Research Data Management OLD: Data Storage

Data storage and security

Secure Data storage

Charles Sturt Research Office has information on Cloud and Supercomputing Resources.

Note: Use external cloud servers with caution. When using your local computer during analysis you should also:

  • Place your working data, and any sensitive data on a secure and legal server.
  • Use CloudStor instead of Dropbox, because CloudStor is located in Australia and therefore complies with Australian law. Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and iCloud store on servers outside Australia and do not comply with Australian Law. (Note: CloudStor is being decommissioned at the end of 2023 - all data must be retrieved from CloudStor before then.)
  • On completion of your research, your data should remain in secure storage for access or archival as expressed in your Research Data Plan.  

Charles Sturt secure date storage will be set up for you when you use this Research Data Plan at the time you submit your research proposal.

You should discuss options for secure storage of digital data during the active phase and finalisation of of your research with  either: 

  • your research project team or
  • your HDR Supervisors
  • and Charles Sturt Division of Information Technology

The ARDC Guide to data storage looks at the strengths and weaknesses of other storage options.

Where to store Research Data

Charles Sturt University Data storage

Avoid using insecure cloud data storage, for example Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or Icloud, and if using your local computer during analysis you should:

To estimate storage consider the size of similar data files you or colleagues will need to collect, use the graphic below as a guide. For extremely large data storage requirements (>1TB) arrangements should be made with DIT prior to commencing your Research Project.

Source: Charles Sturt University (Producer). (2017). Introduction to Research Data Management. Slide 17 [ELMO Training Module]

See also Charles Sturt's Office of Research Services and Graduate Studies guide to Cloud and Supercomputing Resources.

 

Storage and Archiving of Hard Copy Data

Hard copies such as interview notes, prints of photographs, or video or audio tapes need to be kept securely locked away - for example in a locked filing cabinet that can only be accessed by agreed members of the research team.  On completion of the research project, hardcopy research data can be stored at the Charles Sturt University Regional Archives for the retention period as set out in the Charles Sturt University Research Data Management Policy, Section 4 (15)

Contact:  Wayne Doubleday, Manager Charles Sturt University Regional Archives

Charles Sturt SPAN Research Computer System (RCS)

 Charles Sturt's The Spatial Data Analysis Network (SPAN)  Research Computer System (RCS) is available for research applications requiring a high-end server computer for processing of data. The current system configurations is:

  • Four x Twelve Core processors
  • 1 TB of RAM
  • RAID storage array capacity of 45 TB
  • Nightly tape backup

Access to SPAN's Research Computer System is available to Charles Sturt University academics and researchers

Intersect Data Storage Solutions

Intersect, a not-for-profit organisation set up to support research in Australia. Intersect extends the technology services of the university and provides services, expert consulting and training programs. you can get access to Intersect through the Research office page on Cloud and Supercomputing Resources.

Australian Research Data Commons and NeCTAR

The Australian Research Data Commons was formed in 2018, and member institutions include CSIRO and 19 Australian Universities

The ARDC has Virtual Machine Data storage products with allocations of 0GB to 480GB for different purposes. Datasets for a Research Project requiring continued processing and analysis will need a different storage product than a completed dataset for long-term preservation and sharing.

ARDC's Nectar Research Cloud is Australia's federated research cloud, providing Australia’s research community with interactive, self-service access to computing infrastructure, software, and data, enabling collaboration with other researchers.

Researchers can store, access, and analyse their own data at any time, create dedicated virtual servers on demand, and collaborate with others from their desktop.

Nectar users include more than 18,000 researchers and one million virtual machines from all the major research institutions in Australia and across all 22 top-level Field of Research codes.

Nectar Support, Training and Help

Charles Sturt University acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which its campuses are located, paying respect to Elders, both past and present, and extend that respect to all First Nations Peoples.Acknowledgement of Country

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