Coscine gives you the opportunity to store your research data using various resources. From next year, there will be a fundamental change: The new DataStorage.nrw will replace the previous Research Data Storage (RDS).
In this blog series, we would like to introduce you to the advantages of the new storage system, explain the process of applying for storage space and go into the details of the migration from the old to the new system.
What Is DataStorage.nrw?
DataStorage.nrw, like the RDS, is an S3 object storage system that enables geo-redundant and secure storage of research data. With a planned capacity of 35 petabytes, the new system offers significantly greater storage capacity and is therefore also a future-proof solution for storing large volumes of data.
Access to DataStorage.nrw is via Coscine – the platform for research data management (RDM). Coscine provides you with sufficient storage space as well as a user-friendly and long-term solution for storing research data and associated metadata in line with the FAIR principles. From quarter 1 2025, DataStorage.nrw will be available to all universities in the DH.NRW network, which should promote knowledge exchange and collaboration between universities.
Storage space for the new system is requested via the JARDS platform. This has long been established in the HPC sector for requesting computing time. We will describe how to submit a storage space request for DataStorage.nrw and what Coscine users can consider beforehand in another blog post in this series.
Migration: From RDS to DataStorage.nrw
As part of the migration, the research data and metadata already stored via Coscine will be transferred from RDS to DataStorage.nrw. In another blog post at the beginning of the year, we will go into the migration process in detail and explain how it works for everyone involved.
Important: You do not have to take care of the migration of your research data yourself. This will be handled and coordinated by the IT Center as the operator of Coscine. However, there will be restrictions on access to your data during the migration. We will inform you in good time to ensure a smooth migration.
Stay Informed!
To make sure you don’t miss any important updates, you can subscribe to the Coscine newsletter or visit the Coscine website regularly. There you will find out in good time when DataStorage.nrw is ready for operation and how you can apply for storage space.
Responsible for the content of this article are Katja Jansen and Arlinda Ujkani.
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