Position statement on LaRDS Acceptable Use Policy

Use of the LaRDS service is subject to all relevant Monash University research, IT and IM policies.  As set out in the LaRDS Service Statement, use of LaRDS, in common with all Monash IT services, is subject to the standard Monash IT Acceptable Use policies (AUP):

•   IT Use Policy – Staff and Other Authorised Users
•  Acceptable Use of Information Technology Facilities by students

In addition, LaRDS services are provided specifically for the storage of research data.  Within faculties, the allocation of LaRDS capacity for legitimate research data storage purposes is primarily determined by faculties’ Associate Deans Research (ADR) or delegates.

In making LaRDS available, the government and Monash have two expectations - to improve the preservation and accessibility of research data.  Emerging government, sector and Monash Policy (currently Draft Monash Research Data Management Policy increasingly requires institutional storage of all research data in order to reliably achieve these goals.

Preservation

To ensure preservation of research data and reduce lost productivity arising from data loss and ensure substantianability and repeatability of research results, the University encourages researchers to store all forms of research data in LaRDS, both:

•   unstructured data types, such as directories of files including raw data, and
•   structured data types, such as databases and datasets with associated formal metadata descriptors.

It is of primary importance to the University to ensure that research data does not reside solely in unprotected and untracked forms such as on individual users’ “c: drives” or on CDs, DVDs, memory sticks, home computers, private e-mail accounts or similar.

Accessibility

To improve the accessibility, searchability, sharing and reusability of research data, the University will in addition increasingly encourage researchers to store all types of research data, including, raw, intermediate and final results in structured data formats complete with comprehensive formal metadata descriptors.  To achieve this goal is currently dependent in many areas on the development of relevant data management tools and standards.  For further information please contact the e‑Research Centre.

Special notes regarding “c: drive” backup and similar uses of LaRDS

1.  The use of LaRDS for storing backup copies of regions of users’ “c: drives” (or equivalent) achieves the primary preservation objective, and hence is a supported mode of use.   However, in common with other forms of unstructured data, this only poorly achieves the accessibility objectives.  Over time, as alternatives become practicable, this mode of use of LaRDS will be increasingly discouraged.

2.  It is rarely necessary to backup the entire “c: drive” (or equivalent).  Normally judicious selection of an appropriate sub-tree is indicated.  For example the iFolder service backs up all files under the …\Monash\... sub-tree.

3.  When using LaRDS in “c: drive” backup applications (or similar) take particular care to not inadvertently backup filesets that do not pertain to University research activities (e.g. private or personal files).  Be aware that LaRDS, in common with all University IT facilities, is subject to routine security scans as authorised by the University IT Security and IT Use policies.