Overview
In this lesson you were introduced to issues involved in storing, securing and backing up your research data, the importance of data backups, options available to you to safely store your data, password safety guidelines, and how to encrypt and destroy sensitive data when required.
Key Concepts & Definitions
In this module you were introduced to issues involved in storing, securing and backing up your research data, the importance of data backups, options available to you to safely store your data, password safety guidelines, and how to encrypt and destroy sensitive data when required.
Throughout the course of your research you must ensure that you store your research data in a secure way and have backup copies in at least three locations that are maintained regularly. The recommended storage is your institution’s networked drive. Personal computers and laptops should not be used for storing master copies of data, and external storage devices are not recommended for the long term storage of data, particularly master copies.
Securing research data is an important aspect of information technology security. You should always have up-to-date anti-virus software installed on your office and home computers, encrypt highly-sensitive electronic data and store paper records in a locked room or safe.
Once research using sensitive data no longer requires that the identifiable portions of the data be retained, they should be destroyed and future research be done with de-identified or anonymised data. This applies to paper records, as well as electronic records.
Remember that your passwords are the most common way to prove your identity when using websites, email accounts and your computer itself (via User Accounts). Therefore, always use a strong password, never disclose your password to anyone else. Make your password something you can remember but difficult for others to guess.
Key take-away: Don’t be the next sob story about data loss. Take precautions up front so you will not have regrets later. Know how your data are backed up.
Additional Resources
Digital Preservation Toolkit. (Last updated Nov 2015). Government of Canada. Retrieved from http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1443203443442
Finch, L., Webster, J. (July 2008). Caring for CDs and DVDs. National Preservation Office. NPO Preservation Guidance [Preservation in Practice Series]. Retrieved from http://www.bl.uk/aboutus/stratpolprog/collectioncare/faqs/cddvd/caring_for_cds_dvds.pdf
UK Data Service. Create and manage data: storing your data. Retrieved from www.data-archive.ac.uk/create-manage/storage
Wikipedia. Data erasure. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_erasure
MS Instructional Design 