Library Guides: Data Management: Store and Backup Data

Best Practices

Data Backup Best Practices
DataONE introduces the concepts of data protection, backup and archiving, and best practices are highlighted with case study examples of how things can go wrong.
Storing Your Data
This guide from the University of Essex notes best practices to consider when storing your data.

Sensitive Data

Ensuring that sensitive or confidential data is managed in a way that is compliant with university, state, and federal regulations, in addition to the requirements of the funder is important to the integrity of your research. It is your job to ensure that the confidentiality of research subjects is protected. It is possible to share confidential data through anonymizing data and controlling access to that data. Make sure you're familiar with the code of ethics at your institution.

Backup Data

Keeping reliable backups is an integral part of data management.

The UK Data Archive provides additional guidelines on managing and sharing data.

Backup Your Data

Make 3 copies (e.g. original + external/local + external/remote)
Have them geographically distributed (local vs. remote depends on recovery time needed)

Data Backup Options

Cloud Storage - some examples of private sector storage resources include:
- Amazon S3 -Requires client software, no encryption support
- S3-based Remote Hard Drive Services such as Elephant Drive and Jungle Disk
- Mozy (from EMC) Free client software, 448-bit Blowfish encryption or AES key
- Carbonite Free client software, 1024Free 1024-bit Blowfish encryption