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IT Services

Data Storage

Data Storage

Service Description

The University provides a number of services which you can use to store your data.

Note: The University expects both staff and PGRs to use centrally managed storage to store and manage all data for teaching, research, and administration, and stresses the importance of good information management practice, both to maximise the benefits of data storage provision for users and to address our compliance responsibilities. Users are also expected to comply with the Records Management Policy (accessible from the University Policy Zone)

Features

Home Drives

  • Staff and PGR students receive an automatic standard allocation of personal networked data storage on the creation of their IT account. This storage is generally referred to as H:\ drive, home drive or home filespace which should be used to store personal information such as annual objectives. All other teaching, research and administration data should be stored onto centrally managed network shared drives.

Shared Drives

  • Shared drives are secure folders set up for the storage of university business related data; data relating to teaching, learning, research, and administration.
  • Each shared drive has a share owner responsible for the data and access permissions for that share, and for compliance with University regulations. Responsibilities for sub folders can be delegated.
  • Users requiring access to specific shares should request this from the share owner via the IT Service Desk. The Service Desk will request approval from the appropriate shared drive owner before access is granted
  • Requests for new shared drives can be made to the IT Service Desk.
  • Researchers should, where possible, include data storage and archive costs in their research funding applications. Where no funding is available, each Principal Investigator (PI) can access up to 2TB of secure network storage per project, at no cost. Storage requirements above this allocation should be met by school or other available funds.
  • Where no other funding is available, PGR students with an independent project (one not sitting within a larger PI project), can access up to 500GB of project specific data storage (at no cost).

SharePoint

  • SharePoint provides a collection of web-based software tools that support sophisticated document management and collaborative working for both internal staff and external partners. It can be used for project sites including research groups, working parties, for short or long term purposes.
  • SharePoint is ideal for any operational area that has a requirement to provide controlled, authenticated access to content; to control that content, and to collaborate on work in a secure environment.
  • Staff should not to store highly confidential or sensitive material on SharePoint, or very large files/datasets. This type of information should be stored on a shared drive, where permissions are managed centrally.

VLEs (MyAberdeen, MyMBChB, MyBDS, etc.)

  • The University’s VLEs also provide the opportunity to store data (particularly course materials) to facilitate delivery and management of courses to students.

Remote Access

  • University Windows laptops will automatically and securely connect to the University’s network data storage using f5 VPN as soon as there is a connection to the internet.
  • The Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is available for accessing network Home and Share drives using any personal device, subject to a minimum security specification. 

OneDrive for Business

  • All University account holders have access to additional data storage (1TB) via OneDrive for Business, part of our Microsoft Office 365 cloud service. This should not be used for storing confidential University data.

Users

  • All University IT account holders
  • Access to holders of guest accounts is only where staff have put appropriate arrangements in place and is only to pre-agreed services

Service Hours

  • 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, with the following exceptions:
    • Planned maintenance outages (users with receive prior notification
    • Unplanned maintenance outages

Support and Documentation

Request Process

For data storage or remote access requests, or if you have any other related queries, please contact IT Services or email servicedesk@abdn.ac.uk

User Responsibility

Costs

  • Charges will apply for additional data storage requests. Please contact the Service Desk for guidance, servicedesk@abdn.ac.uk.