Standard Text for Grant Applications
Technical Infrastructure
Project data will be stored on the University of Newcastle file store which comprises
enterprise level file servers in physically secure data centres with appropriate fire detection /
suppression equipment. Snapshots are taken daily. An incremental copy to backup tape is
taken every night and a full copy is taken every month; backups are kept for three months;
Inactive tapes are stored in on-campus fireproof safes; the SAN is located behind the
University's institutional firewall to protect against external attacks;
Archived project data will be submitted to the University of Newcastle Research Data
Repository for long-term preservation.
Support Infrastructure
The University’s Research Data Management Policy and Code of Good Practice has
established a ‘Research Data Service’ comprising members from the University Research
Office, Library and NUIT (Newcastle University IT). NUIT provides advice on data security
and good practice, technical advice on standards and where necessary long term storage
(either directly or through brokered services). The Library co-ordinate the data management
service, provide guidance on metadata standards and training. The URO provides guidance
on funder requirements as well and advice.
Data Preservation Costs
Active project data (up to a limit of 4GB) will be stored and backed up securely on the
University’s central IT service, on the project drive. (Specification in back-up section above).
The costs of the 4GB active storage and the Research Data Archive is included within the
overhead costs. We do not envisage that we will require additional storage*, however any
additional active storage will be brokered through Newcastle University IT service (NUIT)
thereby ensuring standards remain in line with the University’s expectations and best
practice.
*NB. Costs per TB year for active project data are in the region of £1000. If you believe your
project will require any active data storage capacity over the University’s allowance then you
should include the costs of this in your application / MyProjects Proposal Costing.
Data Deposit and Access
Data supporting publication will be deposited in the Research Data Archive at publication, or
where there is no intention to publish no later than 12 months after collection.
A pre-print copy of any output will be deposited to the University’s eprints system. During this
process the data underpinning the publication will be indexed and metadata created based
on the publication, funder and data sources. This metadata will then be made publically
available through links embedded within the publication and the University Research Data
Index. Access to data will then be triaged through the University Research Data Service
(rdm@ncl.ac.uk), which will handle all licensing and attribution queries. We expect that
access to the data will be immediate and free, however should any commercial, ethical or
confidentiality issues appear this may effect this. Wherever possible documents will be
stored in standard formats; where this is not the case details of appropriate access programs
will be kept with the data.
Data will be stored for 10 years from publication or from the last request for access,
whichever is longer.