Data Storage & Data Analysis
Backups, Security & Useful Tools
 
Deciding on Storage

Follow these steps to select the correct storage environment for your project.

1. Assessing Data Risk

Before choosing where to store your data, you must assess its sensitivity. The level of risk determines the necessary safeguards.

 
Low Risk
Publicly available data or completely anonymized data where no identification is possible.
Safeguard: Standard password protection.
Medium Risk
Data that may contain sensitive info, but harm is mitigated by de-identification (e.g., working files).
Safeguard: Encrypted devices, restricted access.
High Risk
Sensitive personal information (e.g., health data, SINs). Disclosure would cause significant harm.
Safeguard: Secure institutional servers, multi-factor authentication, rigorous encryption.
Extreme Risk
Data subject to strict legal constraints.
Consult UPEI Cybersafety and Ethics immediately.
2. Select Storage Option

Once you know your risk level and volume requirements, select a supported tool.

 
Active Storage Tools

General Data (Microsoft OneDrive)
Provided by UPEI. It offers Canadian data residency (servers located in Canada), which is crucial for compliance.

 

High-Performance / Large Volume
For large datasets (>10TB) or intense computing needs.

Submit ITSS Request

Note: Commercial platforms (like free Dropbox or Google Drive) may store data outside Canada, which can be a violation of ethics agreements.

Planning for Volume
< 100 GB (Spreadsheets, PDFs)
Standard cloud or local storage.
1 TB - 10 TB (A/V data)
Dedicated external drives or paid cloud tiers.
> 10 TB (Genomics, 4K Video)
Requires specialized infrastructure. Contact ITSS.

Data Security

UPEI's IT&SS offers a variety of training resources on being cybersafe. Those materials are available at here.

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule

Digital media is fragile. Hard drives fail, laptops get stolen, and files get corrupted. To mitigate the risk of catastrophic loss, researchers must ensure redundancy.

"Active storage" is where your data lives while you are analyzing it. Regardless of where you store active data, you must apply layers of protection.

The Protocol
  • 3 Copies of your data
  • 2 Media Types 
    (e.g., Laptop + Server)
  • 1 Off-site 
    (e.g., Cloud)
Analyze Data

What software is available for UPEI affiliated users?

Microsoft Office 365
The Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is the campus standard. Our licensing provides these tools for all students, faculty, and staff on both University-owned computers and personal devices.
Log in to portal.office.com →
Foxit PhantomPDF
Licenses for Foxit PhantomPDF are available for creating or editing PDFs. UPEI faculty and staff can contact ITSS to request a license and installation instructions.
Lab Computers
The most current list of software loaded on computers in UPEI labs is available for review on the IT&SS Sharepoint site.
 
Additional Resources
English