Scholarly Data Archive: Terms of service

• 1. Overview
  • 1.1 General
  • 1.2 Terms and definitions
• 2. Service description
  • 2.1 Scholarly Data Archive (SDA)
• 3. Roles and responsibilities
  • 3.1 Users
  • 3.2 Service Provider
• 4. Data purge
• 5. Hours of support
• 6. Service retirement

Last updated: August 8, 2019

Related policies:

• Appropriate Use of Information Technology Resources (IT-01)
• Privacy of Electronic Information and Information Technology Resources (IT-07)

1. Overview

1.1 General

This document provides terms of service for the use of the Scholarly Data Archive (SDA) at Indiana University. The terms of service in this document apply to all SDA Users and the Service Provider.

This document is subject to change and may be modified at any time by UITS Research Technologies (UITS-RT). When this document is modified, the Service Provider will notify Users in email to the mass-store-l@list.indiana.edu mailing list. If Users fail to operate within the terms of service, their access to the SDA may be revoked.

1.2 Terms and definitions

• Scholarly Data Archive (SDA): IU's tape-based HPSS archive for storing research data
• Users: All users of the SDA system; Users must agree to the terms outlined in this document
• Service Provider: The Research Storage group of UITS-RT that manages and provides support for the SDA
• SDA Account: A personal directory in the SDA's HPSS file system created by the Service Provider for use by the User
• Initial Allocation: 50 TB

2. Service description

2.1 Scholarly Data Archive (SDA)

• The SDA is operated and maintained by the Service Provider.
• With the exception of scheduled maintenance, the SDA is generally available 24x7.
• The SDA's regularly scheduled weekly maintenance window is Sunday 7am-10am (US/Eastern time zone). The SDA also participates in UITS-RT's monthly maintenance window on the second Sunday of every month, 7am-7pm (US/Eastern time zone). The SDA will typically be unavailable during maintenance windows.
• If the SDA requires extended maintenance or unplanned emergency maintenance, notifications are posted to Status.IU.

• Due to the mammoth volume of data stored on the Scholarly Data Archive (SDA), back-ups are neither practical nor economical. The SDA doesn't have an offline, traditional backup system, so any deletion you perform will cause an irreversible loss of data.

  However, to protect against random tape errors, two tape copies of the data are created by default. If one tape fails, data can be retrieved from the other tape. The two copies of data reside at two geographically distant sites (at IU Bloomington and at IUPUI) in two separate tape libraries. Also, two separate metadata backups are performed, at IUB and IUPUI. As a result, even in the event of a catastrophic disaster affecting either the IUB or IUPUI site (such as a fire or a tornado), all dual-copy data on the SDA would still be safe.

3. Roles and responsibilities

3.1 Users

• Users may store Critical data elements on the SDA only if those Critical data elements satisfy the definition of protected health information (PHI). Users are not permitted to store any non-PHI Critical data elements on the SDA.

  Although PHI is classified as Critical data, other types of institutional data classified as Critical are not permitted on Research Technologies systems. For help determining which institutional data elements classified as Critical are considered PHI, see About protected health information (PHI) data elements in the classifications of institutional data.

• Users are allowed to store sensitive data, such as electronic protected health information (ePHI or HIPAA-protected data), on the SDA in accordance with the policies and standards outlined in the following documents:
  • Your legal responsibilities for protecting data containing protected health information (PHI) when using UITS Research Technologies systems and services
  • About dedicated file storage services and IT services with storage components appropriate for sensitive institutional data, including research data containing protected health information
• Users placing data within the directory structure of a group account are authorizing the owner of that group account to assume ownership of that data via a request to storage administrators.
• Users will monitor email sent to the mass-store-l@list.indiana.edu mailing list and respond to official UITS-RT communications sent to their primary IU email addresses about their SDA Accounts.
• Users are responsible for their use of all UITS resources under Appropriate Use of Information Technology Resources (IT-01). Specifically, as regards the use of the SDA, Users must not store data that is illegal or protected under state and/or federal regulations, except that which is explicitly allowed above. If a User becomes aware of data having been stored on the SDA that violates this provision, that User shall contact it-incident@iu.edu.

3.2 Service Provider

• The Service Provider will administer the SDA system using best practices for security, performance, and availability. In particular, strict adherence to the privacy provisions outlined in Privacy of Electronic Information and Information Technology Resources (IT-07) will be maintained as it is on all UITS systems.
• The Service Provider will monitor all email to the address store-admin@iu.edu for all operational communication from Users concerning the SDA storage system and their use of the service.
• The Service Provider will provide support to Users on UITS-RT's recommended tool set for the storage and access of SDA data.
• The Service Provider reserves the right to suspend a User's access to the SDA in the following non-exhaustive circumstances:
  • As required by law or regulation
  • As the Service Provider determines in its sole discretion is necessary to protect the SDA from unauthorized access or damage to its content
  • As the Service Provider determines in its sole discretion that the User's use of the SDA is illegal, infringes upon the intellectual property rights of a third party, or otherwise violates the restrictions, representations, or warranties herein
  • As the Service Provider determines in its sole discretion that the User's use of the SDA may subject Indiana University to civil or criminal liability
  • For the purpose of "Emergency Problem Resolution" as defined in Procedure 4(a) of Privacy of Electronic Information and Information Technology Resources (IT-07).
• The Service Provider will assist the SDA Account Owner with guidance on custom permission settings. For permission management information, see Share your SDA data with other SDA users.
• The Service Provider will assist the SDA Account Owner with guidance on data movement options based on the data movement need.

4. Data purge

If the User's UITS computing accounts are terminated, the Service Provider will remove the User's data after 180 consecutive days of account deactivation.

5. Hours of support

• The Service Provider will monitor all email to the address store-admin@iu.edu for all operational communication Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm, with the exception of university holidays.
• The Service Provider will respond to email inquiries within one business day.
• During unexpected services outages, the Service Provider will work after business hours to the best of their ability to restore service.

6. Service retirement

• UITS-RT reserves the right to retire the system at the end of the system's life cycle. The Service Provider will notify Users at least 180 days before decommissioning the system.
  Note:

  UITS-RT performs significant due diligence and stewardship with its systems and services. UITS-RT systems typically are in place for five years or longer.