INFORMATION SERVICES DIVISION
DATA SAFE HAVEN USER GROUP MEETING
Notes taken on 16th October 2014, 10.3010.30-11.30 at Rm G01 222 Euston Road
Matters Discussed
1
Welcome
1.1
Richard Gilson (RG), the User Group Chair, welcomed attendees to the meeting.
2
Service Update
2.1
Anthony Peacock (AJP) outlined the meeting Objectives and introduced the Data Safe Haven Team.
2.2
An overview was provided of the available software and services within the Data Safe Haven.
2.2.1
Questions on available software included:
Q: How do you ensure that the security of the printing service is maintained?
A: Specific requests need to be raised with the Data Safe haven team to give a particular user access to
printing, the printer also needs to be setup and needs to be networked (not local). The system provides a full
audit trail.
Q: For software which is available ‘On Request’ do users need to purchase licenses?
A: The only software which requires a license to be purchased by the user is DSS Pro. Other software
packages require accounts to be created and the provision of instructions to the end users.
2.3
AJP provided a progress report and statistics relating to IG Toolkit submissions, Training and Awareness
and Data Safe Haven usage. The Training and Awareness Service will be introducing a short quiz to
measure training effectiveness after November. Attendees will be required to attend a ‘refresher’ training
session or re-take the quiz on an annual basis.
2.3.1
Questions on Service Update included:
Q: Can previous attendees request notes from the training if they attended a while ago?
A: Yes, presentation notes can be provided on request
Q: Is there a maximum number of users per study? Are there any restrictions on non-UCL based users?
A: There’s no set limit for the number of users a study can request within reason. Data allocation is currently
not limited as the majority of studies are using a relatively small amount of storage, with the exception of
those using medical imaging. Users don’t have to be based at UCL but the account must be requested by a
UCL-based Principal Investigator. Differing levels of access for different users can be setup to different
folders within the same shared space.
Q: How often are data in the Data Safe Haven backed up?
A: Data are backed up on a daily basis using a secure, encrypted process.
Q: Can additional end user training be provided on how to use the Data Safe Haven?
A: Yes, please contact Anthony Peacock, it is often best to look at the study workflow in detail rather than
run a large cross-study overview.
Q: Is there sufficient memory and processing power allocated as my team have found using R to be slow?
A: The Data Safe Haven has a large amount of physical infrastructure resources which are shared between
the many virtual server environments. If teams are experiencing slow running, the problem is likely to be a
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configuration issue which can be changed to optimise performance. AJP will speak to the team about
specific issues.
3
Project Update
3.1
An update on project activities carried out in Phase 3 (Nov 13-Jul 14) and planned for Phase 4 (Aug 14-Jul
15) was provided.
4
Discussion and Feedback
4.1
RG invited the Group to ask questions and provide feedback; in particular attendees were asked for their
suggestions for future software and services to be made available in the Data Safe Haven. Comments and
questions included:
Q: I’m interested in REDCap or an equivalent tool, how easy is it to setup access within the Data Safe
Haven?
A: REDCap is straight forward to setup, however, if there was a clear need for an alternative survey tool, this
could also be arranged but would take longer.
Q: Can the Data Safe Haven be accessed using mobile devices and tablets?
A: The Data Safe Haven isn’t widely available using mobile devices due to security concerns, especially
around data being cached locally. PC-based tablets running a Microsoft based operating system offer a
better level of security and it should be possible to enable this. Trevor Peacock (TP) can provide assistance
with the Information Governance implications.
Q: Can you provide a Linux server environment?
A: Yes, this is currently available.
Q: Can the Data Safe Haven be used to host a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)?
A: The Data Safe Haven is used predominantly for research rather than operational systems, especially as
operational systems frequently need to interface with systems or equipment outside of the Safe Haven which
can be challenging.
Q: Can a website with connections to a SQL server be hosted in the Data Safe Haven?
A: Yes, although the exact requirements need to be discussed, this is easier to achieve if data is being
captured through it rather than disseminated. More straightforward if do not need to make publically
accessible.
Q: Is it possible to upload data to a cloud-based third party provider using the Data Safe Haven?
A: The requirements would need to be discussed in more detail, it would be best practice to move the
software from the third party supplier and host within the Data Safe Haven.
Q: Are STATA updates automatically installed on the version hosted in the Data Safe Haven?
A: The version hosted in the Safe Haven hasn’t been updated as yet, this can be done but we will need to
inform the existing users before running the updates. This is something that cannot be done by the individual
users and will be managed by the support team; it is likely that teams will also request customisation of R
and SAS. All requests should be raised with the support team but should be relatively straightforward.
Q: How can I save the output from STATA as asking the PI to export is quite time consuming?
A: The ability to download data from the Data Safe Haven has been controlled to protect the security of the
system, however, the PI can delegate the ability to export data so that they don’t need to handle it
themselves every time. It is also possible to use secure FTP (File Transfer Protocol) which would be less
time consuming than exporting individual files via the web interface.
4.2
Users suggested that the following software and services were made available:
• C++ and FORTRAN
• Python
• ATLAS.ti
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5
5.1
Any Other Business
It was agreed that the User Group will meet once a term and that the session had been useful. Suggestions
for future meetings can be sent to Alice Garrett (a.garrett@ucl.ac.uk). Future meetings will include an
overview of how different teams have been using the Data Safe Haven. Next meeting to be held early in the
new year.
ATTENDEES:
Name
Richard Gilson
Anthony Peacock
Alice Garrett
Bhavesh Varsani
Antony Barke
Kristina Drew
Trevor Peacock
Andrew Steele
Olga Archangelidi
Kevin Balbi
Chris Brew Graves
Kirstin Goldring
Belinda Rahman
R John Minty
Saadia Rahman
Andy Ryan
David Wong
Sarah Ash
Deborah Haworth
Lucy Lennon
Jacky Pallas
Arturo Gonzalez-Izquierdo
Declan Chard
Fatima Wurie
Carol Porteous
Zisis Kozlakidis
Raphaelle Luisier
Aylin Cakiroglu
Francesca Solmi
Mariyo Melnychuk
David Brealey
Area/Department/Team
Infection & Population Health (Chair of Data Safe Haven
User Group)
ISD-IT for SLMS (Data Safe Haven Service Owner)
ISD-ITCPD (Data Safe Haven Project Manager)
ISD-IT for SLMS (Data Safe Haven Service Operations
Manager)
ISD-IT for SLMS (Data Safe Haven Developer)
ISD-IT for SLMS (Training Manager)
ISD-IT for SLMS (Information Governance Lead)
GEE/CRUK
Farr
UCL Advanced Diagnostics
UCL CTG
UCL BioResource
Institute for Women’s Health
Farr/ICH
Infection and Immunity
Women’s Cancer IFWH
ISD-IT for SLMS
Primary Care and Population Health
PCPH – eHealth Unit
PCPH – BRHS
OVPR
Farr
IoN
Infection & Population Health
Farr
Farr/UCL
UCL – Department of Genetics
Dept of Genetics/CRUK
UCL-DAHR
UCL-DAHR
UCLH Critical Care
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