Choosing the right data storage

Do you need a home for your research data during the course of your investigation? NC State researchers have several data storage options available to them that are appropriate for active research and collaboration.

When choosing a place to store your data during active research, there are several considerations to keep in mind:

  • How sensitive are my data? Am I collecting or generating data pertaining to human subjects? Does my funder require certain levels of data security as one of the terms of my grant?
  • Do I need to grant access to research collaborators, and are my collaborators internal or external to NC State?
  • How much data am I likely to collect or generate?

NC State's Office of Information Technology offers a Research Storage service that is available to NC State faculty, and can facilitate data sharing and retention for labs and research groups. The RFS can connect you with OIT's research storage specialists to get started.

Learn more about OIT Research Storage

For long-term data storage, preservation and access, we strongly recommend formally publishing your data with a data repository. If your data are not an appropriate fit for sharing via a data repository, but the terms of your funding stipulate a specific retention period for the data, there are several strategies for long-term data archiving.

OIT-supported storage solutions

NC State's OIT supports additional storage options for research data and other content. For a full overview of OIT-supported storage solutions, please visit OIT's website or try the new Storage Finder tool.

Available services or resources