Ensure the safety of your data. Replacing it could be time-consuming, costly or impossible.
Storing your data safely and backing it up regularly are essential components of good research data management. During both the active and post-project phases of your research, you should take steps to ensure your data is protected from loss, unauthorized access, or corruption.
Estimate the storage space
At the beginning of any project, researchers should estimate the required storage space during the active phases of your project. This estimation should take into consideration factors such as file versioning, backups, and potential data growth. In deciding where to store your data, ensure that you understand UBC’s policies and infrastructure for data storage and backups. This includes considering the most appropriate storage system for sensitive data and what institutional policies apply to its handling.
Backing up your data
Backups protect your work from accidental loss. Follow the 3-2-1 rule for reliable backups:
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3 total copies of your data
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2 different storage media (e.g., external drive + cloud)
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1 copy stored offsite or in the cloud
Best practices for backup:
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Automate backups where possible
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Use encryption for sensitive data
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Store backups in a separate physical or network location
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Periodically test backups to ensure data can be restored
Certain data storage options at UBC, such as TeamShare or Home Drive, already have automatic backup features in place. Consider leveraging these existing backup mechanisms to ensure data integrity and reliability.
Per UBC Information Security Standard U3, sharing platforms such as Dropbox and Google Drive should not be used to share research information, as they are not UBC-approved tools.
UBC research storage finder
Please see the UBC Research Storage Finder tool that was designed to assist researchers in finding available solutions for research data collection, computing and storage. It includes solutions offered by UBC Information Technology (UBCIT), UBC Advanced Research Computing (ARC), UBC Faculty of Medicine (FoM), Population Data BC (PopDataBC), The BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), Michael Smith Health Research BC and The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (The Alliance).
Data security
Sensitive or confidential data—such as personal, health, or Indigenous data—must be stored in secure environments. UBC offers services such as OneDrive and TeamShare, which provide access control and secure infrastructure for research data during the active research phase. Avoid using personal USB drives or unencrypted laptops for storing sensitive data. Please see the UBC ARC’s Research Information Classification to help you classify your research data. For comprehensive guidance on security and privacy planning for research at UBC, you can refer to the wealth of resources available at UBC ARC’s website.
Data repositories and data security
The Borealis installation of the Dataverse software that we use for data repository storage phase in Canada is located on servers at the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL). See more information about data security and infrastructure on the Borealis website.
Need help? Contact research.data@ubc.ca