Data Storage, Hosting, Connectivity + Backup
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Researchers should adopt national (no-cost) platforms whenever possible. Book a consultation with our Research Computing team to determine if this is an option for your computational, software and storage needs.
IST also provides virtual servers and server hosting for a cost in our data center as well as consults for purchasing servers. There is no cost for a consultation. Consult with us about your research projects so that we can offer a solution that best meets your needs.
Storage
Researchers should adopt national (no-cost) platforms whenever possible. Book a consultation with our Research Computing team to determine if this is an option for your research storage needs.
When you get a virtual server provisioned from IST, you receive access to storage along with it. Virtual servers are backed up and are available anytime from anywhere. Costs are dependent upon what type of storage and how much of it you need. Book a consultation with one of our infrastructure experts to explore your options.
Common Requests (Self Serve)
Hosting
Researchers should adopt national (no-cost) platforms whenever possible. Book a consultation with our Research Computing team to determine if this is an option for your hosting, software and storage needs. Several research websites with databases of data attached, also called science gateways or research portals, are hosted on national systems at no cost.
If you are interested in repository services for data preservation when research projects are completed, FRDR (Federated Research Data Repository) should be reviewed as an option. Consultation with U of A Library data management librarians and staff is also advised.
IST can offer support for provisioning standard servers, configuration and administration, for both physical and virtual servers. There may be costs associated with these services. Book a free consultation with us to discuss your needs.
IST can host physical servers in our data center as well as provision and host virtual servers.
We can also consult with you about server specifications for both physical and virtual servers. When you get a virtual server provisioned from IST, you receive access to storage along with it. Virtual servers are backed up and are available anytime from anywhere.
Related links
- Federated Research Data Repository
- Hosting Information
- Server Standards Information
- External Relations Marketing & Communications
- Cascade (CMS) Information
Common Requests (Self Serve)
Backup
For workstations procured and supported by IST, clients are advised to use their home network drive or appropriate departmental drive to store critical data rather than storing it locally on the machine. To get specific backup recommendations for your setup, submit a free consultation request.
IST offers both file level or virtual machine level backups using enterprise products such as Veeam with retention periods of 30 days for servers that we host in our environment. There may be costs associated with these services. Book a free consultation with us to discuss what solution will work best for your needs.
ALL of the national research computing systems have some file systems that are backed up. The Research Computing team does not offer backup services for local research data. Please engage them for a free consultation to see if you can take advantage of some of the national research systems.
Common Requests (Self Serve)
- Server Backup Recovery
- Server Backup Request
- Stop Server Backup
- Support & Consult Requests
- Report an Issue
Connectivity
All research equipment will leverage the U of A’s standard network services for connectivity. Where a computational cluster has been provisioned (facilitated through IST’s Research Computing team), IST will provide network services up to the point of connection to the cluster. Any network equipment within a computational cluster is considered part of the cluster itself and is supported by vendor warranties and maintenance.