Research Computing as a Service

Central Active Research Data Storage (CARDS)

About CARDS

CARDS is the University of Glasgow’s centrally managed service for active, in-progress research data.

It gives approved research projects and other eligible service engagements project-based storage with project-controlled access, named ownership, an agreed lifecycle, and managed backup (on the default Standard tier). A service engagement is one approved CARDS storage arrangement for a defined project or activity.

CARDS is for working data during the active phase of a project or service engagement. It is not for permanent archival storage, a browser-based external-sharing service, or high-performance scratch storage.

The service provides more than raw disk capacity with university-managed enterprise storage.

  • A local or network-attached storage system may appear cheaper initially, but the project is responsible for its maintenance, security, backup, recovery, support and end-of-project ownership arrangements.

CARDS is accessed as a shared network drive, and for most users, it can be mounted as a network drive. Staff and students must use a UofG managed device with all security requirements met.

  • UofG VPN (Virtual Private Network) is required to access this data off campus.
  • Files are not synchronised automatically to a local computer; you work on the mounted network drive.
  • Avoid keeping an unprotected local copy. If a project needs browser-based collaboration or external sharing, we can advise on a more suitable approved route.

Request CARDS

1. Proposal stage. First, at the proposal stage, please send a request to us to seek advice about estimated storage requirements and costs, and we can provide you with an indicative quote. 

  • You will be asked to provide the two responsible owners, project or service reference, start and end dates, requested capacity and expected growth, access method, data classification, and any backup, compliance, external collaboration, or long-term data requirements.

2. Notification of award. Then, following notification of award, we will work with you to confirm the allocation, access, and management arrangements. The request will be reviewed, and a Service Agreement will be issued for completion and return before provisioning.

  • If the project expects data of long-term value to be deposited or retained after the active phase, identify this so we can signpost the Research Data Management (RDM) Service for early discussion.
  • We will review suitability, capacity, and policy requirements before approving an allocation.

Request CARDS

The CARDS start and end dates describe the active storage service period; they do not determine the retention period for selected finalised data, which should be discussed separately with the Research Data Management Service.

Costs and service terms

There are two available service tiers:

  • Standard: is the default option for the CARDS service, and it includes managed backup.
  • Basic: has no managed backup or replication and may be selected only where the project can accept and justify that limitation.

Each approved service engagement is eligible for up to 1 TB free of charge. Charges apply to allocated storage above the 1 TB free allowance per approved service engagement.

Indicative annual rates for allocated capacity above this allowance are the following:

  • £175 per TB per year for Standard (default option, includes managed backup).
  • £100 per TB per year for Basic (there is no managed backup).

These rates remain subject to final institutional agreement.

Once we have reviewed the request and the requester has accepted the agreed allocation and fixed project start and end dates, the quoted rate can be fixed for that agreed service period.

  • If capacity needs to change, we can review it annually; increased capacity may be subject to available capacity, pro-rata charging, and the prevailing tariff, while reductions normally take effect at renewal.

Grant planning

Costs are based on the allocation expected in each year, rather than on cumulative annual additions or average use.

  • For example, if the agreed allocation is 5 TB in Year 1, 10 TB in Year 2 and 25 TB in Year 3, charges are based on the allocation for each respective year, less the 1 TB free allowance.
  • They are not based on a cumulative 40 TB total or on average use across the project. Where the final requirement is uncertain, it is prudent to budget for likely peak capacity.

Data protection

University data protection requirements and GDPR

Public and internal non-confidential data can be stored in either the Standard tier or Basic tier. The standard tier provides managed backup; Basic does not.

Highly restricted or export-controlled data are not onboarded by default and require explicit written approval; another secure environment may be required.

Although CARDS provides managed storage within University information security and data protection controls, approval of a project’s processing of personal data is not part of the service.

  • The project or service owner remains responsible for classification, lawful processing, access management, the appropriate service tier, and relevant ethical, contractual, funder, and data-management obligations.
  • Where personal data are involved, the appropriate approvals and controller/processor roles should be identified for the engagement.

More information

Other UofG storage options

CARDS is for active data. There are other University recommended storage facilities available:

For selected finalised datasets that need long-term retention, publication, sharing, or preservation, contact the Research Data Management (RDM) Service for advice on repositories for finalised data Data Management Plans, deposit costs, and the deposit process.

  • Where a transition to long-term storage is anticipated, begin this discussion early. Data underpinning publications should be deposited as the associated outputs are prepared, where appropriate.
  • Where a full-dataset deposit is appropriate, this should be set out in the Data Management Plan at project initiation and actioned at least six months before the project's end date; any deposit costs must be incurred within the funding period.

Enlighten: Research Data is the University repository and may be appropriate where no more suitable repository is available.

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