Data Preservation
The Center for Advanced Research Computing (CARC) protects users’ data via snapshots and backups on certain directories. For larger-scale data archiving, CARC offers its own Cold Storage System or can facilitate services between researchers and the USC Digital Repository.
0.0.1 Snapshots and backups
CARC keeps snapshots of the /home1 and /project directories for two weeks. If some files in these directories are deleted and they were captured in the snapshot, they can be recovered. Additionally, the /home1 directory is backed up daily on our on-site system.
The snapshots are a semi-backup. If data in /home1 and /project is created and deleted in between snapshots (i.e. in a one-day period), it will not be recoverable. Please keep additional backups of important data.
If files need to be recovered, submit a help ticket and the CARC team will attempt to locate them.
0.0.2 Data archiving
Principal Investigators (PIs) can request an allocation to CARC’s Cold Storage System in the user portal. Cold storage is intended for long-term (e.g., more then 5 yrs) storage of large data sets (TB to PB scale). It is a fee-based service platform at a current rate of $20/TB/year.
For more information on how to use cold storage, see our Data Preservation user guides.
CARC’s Cold Storage System preserves one copy of the stored data in one location with no regularly performed data integrity checks. PIs interested in multiple copies of their data and integrity checks should use the USC Digital Repository for their data archiving needs instead. Please submit a help ticket and the CARC team will assist you in facilitating this service.