UCL Research Data
Introduction:
UCL Research Data will provide a service to facilitate better management of digital datasets by researchers.
The key objectives of the UCL Research Data service are to provide:
•
Capability to store increasingly large volumes of electronic research data and
data products
• Capability to support coordinated end-to-end research ‘workflows’ encompassing the use of both data storage and computational resources, by UCL researchers.
• The protection and preservation of UCL’s research data assets.
• Increased potential for re-use and possible future exploitation of UCL’s research data assets.
• Opportunities to consolidate UCL’s data storage infrastructure. Unified pan-UCL services (single system for all researchers)
• Improved compliance with increasingly stringent requirements for the management of project (data) outputs by the Research Councils.
Conceptual diagram for the UCL Research Data Service
Service Development:
The UCL Research Data service is being developed over a number of staged phases. This is to ensure the deployed service meets user requirements and implements functionality progressively linked to continuous user engagement and requirements analysis.
The service will provide storage for digital datasets whilst a research project is active and also provide a long term archive/repository service for digital data collections that need to be preserved for long periods of time.
Layered architecture for Research Data Service
Current Status:
Governance:
The UCL Research Data service has now formally created its governance structure and appointed Jacky Pallas as the Chair of the Project Board.
Further information regarding the project governance structure can be found here.
Phase 1:
A pilot study was completed in 2010 and groups for Phase 1 deployment identified in Q2 2011. Service development is now in progress ahead of a planned Phase 1 deployment in Q1 2012. A modular architecture is being developed to manage the research data livecycle from creation to publication.
We are currently engaged in open discussions with researchers to determine the range of user requirements for the service and to prioritise those elements for the phase 1 service this year. A set of pilot users will be engaged with to assist in developing and evaluating the phase 1 service rollout.
These requirements in combination with ongoing analysis of potential solutions are being combined to specify the functionality required for the initial service deployment and the long term service plans.
Workshops:
The UCL Research Data User Group is planning a series of workshops to provide opportunities for researchers to learn more about the service and to influence the long term development. Workshops will also provide researchers with the opportunity to share experiences in managing data as part of their research and to hear about developments within and external to UCL.
Further Information:
In addition to this website, there is also a mailing list for UCL researchers interested in the UCL Research Data service.
The list is researchdata-usergroup [ AT ] ucl.ac.uk
The web page for users of this list is, including how to subscribe/un-subscribe can be found here:
https://www.mailinglists.ucl.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/researchdata-usergroup
The UCL Research Data User Group is planning a series of workshops to provide opportunities for researchers to learn more about the service and to influence the long term development. Workshops will also provide researchers with the opportunity to share experiences in managing data as part of their research and to hear about developments within and external to UCL.
Contact Details:
If you would like to discuss further the ResearchData service, or have research data management and storage requirements that could be fulfilled by this service, please send an email to researchdata-info< AT > ucl.ac.uk . Using this email address will ensure your query is directed to the most appropriate person.
Promote the UCL Research Data Service by embedding the following QR tag on your website.
Embed with the following URL:
http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=230x230&chl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ucl.ac.uk%2Fisd%2Fcommon%2Fresearch-computing%2Fservices%2Fresearchdata
