Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of research storage should I use? : Research storage is available in many different forms including Market, Vault, Compute and Object. Each storage type is best used for specific scenarios and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The Storage Products page provides a brief overview of the main storage products and is a good place to start.

Is my data being backed up? : Compute and Object storage are not backed up (but do provide data redundancy) while Market shares are backed up daily and feature a 30-day change history. Vault shares are backed up as quickly as the backup infrastructure allows.

How do I get the latest available version of my file(s) back? : The best way to recover a deleted file is to place a Support Request with the RDSM team which can be accomplished by emailing [merc-rdsm-support@monash.edu] or lodging a "Support Ticket" through the Data Dashboard. Be sure to include details such as date last known to be good and as much of the path and filename as you can remember. If the file(s) were deleted more than three weeks ago, it is recommended that you follow-up immediately in order to ensure that the data is recovered within the 30-day window.

Who can access my share? : Windows shares (SMB) are restricted to specific Monash accounts that are members of the relevant secure access groups. SFTP and rsync allocations are linked to specific accounts while NFS shares are restricted to the IP addresses and/or hostnames of specific machines. Object and Compute allocations are linked to specific accounts and projects within the Nectar Dashboard.

My data is is sensitive or highly sensitive. How do I store it securely? : Sensitive and highly sensitive data, such as datasets containing personally identifiable information, should be stored appropriately in line with the data's security requirements. Data security requirements can be complex, especially if the data has been provided by a third-party as they may have their own requirements above and beyond those required by the relevant ethics agreement and Monash's own data security guidelines. It is therefore recommended that you contact the RDSM team directly if you need to store sensitive data.