Storage overview

Finding storage for your research data can be overwhelming. You have so many things to consider and the options all vary. Don't worry, we can help!

The best storage location for your research data depends on several factors, including:

• Size
• Sensitivity
• Access requirements
• Who it’s shared with

Plan a consultation to help you choose data storage solutions best suited for your research project.

Storage options

We partner with the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) to support research computing. Many services we offer are through the Alliance. 

Here are some options available for UVic researchers to store their research data:

• UVic Research file shares are ideal for storing sensitive information and day-to-day work, up to 2TB.
• Nextcloud is great for sharing data with colleagues outside of UVic, up to 100GB.
• Research backup service lets you create archives of your valuable data.

There are also options for researchers using high performance computing (HPC) resources or needing large amounts of storage:

• Cluster storage keeps your computational data on hand for use with an HPC cluster, with up to 10TB in a default allocation.
• Cloud computing storage makes your data accessible to virtual machines, with up to 10TB available in a default allocation for each storage type.

If you have research data storage needs beyond these limits, please reach out for a consultation.

If you’re interested in using a research database to store and use data, see our custom research solutions.

Protecting sensitive data

According to IM7800 – Information Security Policy, all sensitive research data is considered Confidential or Highly Confidential. Protecting sensitive data is a shared responsibility.

University Systems is responsible for maintaining infrastructure and providing information security support. If our campus solutions don't meet your research needs, we can help you find appropriate resources.

Researchers are responsible for taking care with their sensitive research data and using secure storage resources appropriately. For information about the storage resources provided through the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, see their page on data protection, privacy, and confidentiality.

Plan a consultation with us to discuss options for storing sensitive data.

Data management planning

Planning where your data will "live" during different stages of a research project can be complicated, especially if size constraints, data access or computational requirements restrict the options available. If you need help with finding a home for your research data, please reach out for a consultation.

We also offer consultations alongside our partners in research data management and data management plans. The library also has several options for data deposits or repositories.