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We are only charged the media costs (extremely low compared to other options) plus a small additional amount for shipping tape to and from Oklahoma. At current pricing available to UAMS this works out to a one time charge of about $33.55 per TB for the recommended 3 copy option for storage that should keep data safe for at least 8 years, maybe longer. The less secure 2 copy option would be $22.96 at current pricing for a minimum 8 year storage life. These prices are expected to drop over time as we qualify less expensive vendors, media prices drop and capacities rise. The last batch of cartridges that we ordered cost ~$13.50 apiece, with insurance and tracking, from FedEx, and the above numbers reflect that estimated shipping charge. If you decide to use OURRstore for archiving your data, please be prepared to reimburse us for the media and shipping costs.
Alternatively, if you wish, you may purchase your own media (at least 2 cartridges, preferably 3) and a return shipping label. With this alternative, please coordinate with us on shipping address and the specific model of LTO cartridges allowed. Currently only the following specific models are allowed:
- IBM 38L7302 [LTO-7, formatted as Type M, 9 TB raw, ~7.6 TB usable]
- IBM 01PL041 [LTO-8, 12 TB raw, ~10.2 TB usable]
In some cases, purchasing physical cartridges might be easier to put in a budget than the reimbursement costs. However, depending on which option you use to archive data to OURRstore (see below), we may not be able to guarantee that your data is on the cartridges that you purchased. Instead, the usable storage capacity of the cartridge would be added to your account for you to draw from, and your cartridges would be put into the pool of cartridges that we use for everybody. If you need tighter controls (i.e. your data and nothing else goes on the cartridges that you purchase), then you would need to used the "complicated" option for archiving data to OURRstore mentioned below.
For comparison to other storage options, this works out to $4.19 per TB per year, compared to, for example, Amazon Glacier Deep Archive (their least expensive option) at about $12 per TB per year plus any data egress and networking charges. (Often the networking and data egress charges are more expensive than the storage costs for Amazon.)
Ideally researchers should include the archiving costs in their grant budgets. This might be difficult for ongoing grants, since they might not have budgeted for archival costs. Similarly, pilot research projects also might not have a budget for archiving costs. In some cases, departments might be willing to cover the costs.
For comparison to other storage options, this works out to $4.19 per TB per year, compared to, for example, Amazon Glacier Deep Archive (their least expensive option) at about $12 per TB per year plus any data egress and networking charges. (Often the networking and data egress charges are more expensive than the storage costs for Amazon.)
Alternatively, if you wish, you may purchase your own media (at least 2 cartridges, preferably 3) and a return shipping label. With this alternative, please coordinate with us on shipping address and the specific model of LTO cartridges allowed. Currently only the following specific models are allowed:
- IBM 38L7302 [LTO-7, formatted as Type M, 9 TB raw, ~7.6 TB usable]
- IBM 01PL041 [LTO-8, 12 TB raw, ~10.2 TB usable]
In some cases, purchasing physical cartridges might be easier to put in a budget than the reimbursement costs. However, depending on which option you use to archive data to OURRstore (see below), we may not be able to guarantee that your data is on the cartridges that you purchased. Instead, the usable storage capacity of the cartridge would be added to your account for you to draw from, and your cartridges would be put into the pool of cartridges that we use for everybody. If you need tighter controls (i.e. your data and nothing else goes on the cartridges that you purchase), then you would need to used the "complicated" option for archiving data to OURRstore mentioned belowIdeally researchers should include the archiving costs in their grant budgets. This might be difficult for ongoing grants, since they might not have budgeted for archival costs. Similarly, pilot research projects also might not have a budget for archiving costs. In some cases, departments might be willing to cover the costs.
Restrictions on data that can be archived on OURRstore
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- The data should be relatively static (i.e. does not change), as OURRstore is only intended as a secure, redundant archive, not a backup solution where one is making daily or weekly copies of changing data. (You may use ROSS, the Research NAS, or a cloud option if you need backup.)
- The data must be STEM related data (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). NSF's definition of STEM includes physical sciences, biosciences, geosciences, engineering, mathematics, technology (for example, computer and information sciences), and social sciences.
- While the data may include deidentified human subject data, it may not be clinical research data (i.e. data directly related to patient care or clinical studies of human disease). If the human research is basic science research, that is acceptable.
- Legally regulated data (for example, HIPAA, Controlled Unclassified Information, FDA clinical trial, ITAR/EAR, FERPA) is currently FORBIDDEN on OURRstore, per their agreement with NSF.
- If your files are subject to one or more Institutional Review Board (IRB) agreement(s) governing human subjects research, then it’s YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to ensure full compliance with your IRB agreement(s).
If you decide to use OURRstore for archiving your data, you must insure that your data complies with the above rules.
How to request storage on OURRstore
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