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A large scale facility for storing research data whilst your project is ongoing.
Request a new space for your research project (VPN required for access from outside UCL).
Manage access and keep track of your storage quota (VPN required for access from outside UCL).
Answers to common queries about this service.
Overview
The Research Data Storage Service is a managed service for UCL researchers needing somewhere to store and share their research data. It consists of a multi-petabyte storage facility suitable for all shapes and sizes of data, including very large files.
The service follows a project-based approach. Files are accessible only to named project members. Projects may be extended, members added or removed, or storage quotas amended via the admin interface.
Although the RDSS works to a project-based organizational principle in order to meet typical funder requirements for data management, project spaces may be extended, enabling lab groups who need to work on data over long time periods to effectively use the service too.
Costs
- Storage should be costed to funded projects (where possible) at £50 per terabyte per year using Worktribe.
- No charge for data storage beyond the lifetime of a funded project
- No charge for ‘unfunded’ research data
- The RDSS team can help with costings.
- Pre-written justifications for including RDSS data storage costs in funding proposals are available (see the copperplate template).
Things to consider:
Once a project finishes, or data is no longer needed for analysis, we recommend publishing that data (where possible) via an appropriate long-term disciplinary data repository or, should there not be a suitable repository in your field, the UCL Research Data Repository.
We would also suggest deleting any data that can be safely deleted without losing a vital record of research, so as to keep the long term costs of storage down.
If you need to add a justification of the costs of the RDSS into a funding proposal, we have prepared some copperplate text that may be copied and pasted into applications: copperplate template.
Please bear in mind that whilst the use of local data storage solutions such as Network-Attached Storage (NAS) boxes may seem cheaper than the RDSS, they lack the resilience offered by central storage solutions and require significant staff overhead if your data is to be managed and maintained to the standards offered by the RDSS.
Lifecycle Management
- Records essential information about projects
- PIs and administrators receive reminders via email before project expiration for extension, data publication, or deletion.
- Access remains available for three months after project closure (no new member additions).
- Closed projects are archived to tape and retained for at least 10 years (unless instructed otherwise).
- Archived data can be restored upon request
Deletions Policy
- Data deletion requires written consent from the Principal Investigator or a designated project administrator
- If no authorized personnel are reachable, the RDSS team seeks guidance from the PI's Head of Department or a Data Steward before proceeding
Privacy notice- UCL research data policy
Our policies are kept under regular review.
User guides and support
We have a large selection of guides to help you access and use your storage. Please see the RDSS Access Guide
You can find answers to a lot of commonly asked questions on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Page
General enquiries and requests for support should be sent to: researchdata-support@ucl.ac.uk