Data Storage and Transfer
Research Data Storage and Backup
Research data storage is a complex and difficult topic. There are many options in terms of location, media type, performance, cost and each has its own pros and cons.
The 3–2–1 Backup Rule
Though each use case is unique, there is a basic concept of 3-2-1 backup rule that researchers should strive to follow for important data:
3 copies of data
2 different media types
1 offsite copy
Overview of Storage Types
The chart below provides an overview of common research data storage options currently available to many UK researchers. It compares storage location (on-premises vs. cloud), typical use cases (such as active analysis or long-term archiving), performance, cost, and data protection/backup features. For more information, please read the corresponding sub-pages and contact us.
OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint Guidance
For further information regarding One-drive, Teams and Sharepoint, please see the ITS website:
How to choose and manage document storage systems at UK
Figure 1. Overview of research data storage options for UK researchers, comparing storage location, typical use cases, performance, cost, and data protection/backup features.