Archive Storage

Research Computing will deploy a new archive storage system in Fall 2026. This new tier of storage will serve as archive for research data that must be retained long-term. The new archive storage will keep redundant copies of all data, similar to research group storage. MCW investigators will pay an annual fee of $50/TB/year.

Work in progress

This page is a work in progress as we work to deploy a new archive storage system this fall. Please check back often for updates.

Access

Users will access archive storage via S3 protocol. RCC will provide a list of applications including CLI and GUI options.

Permissions

Permissions will be based on AD security groups. Groups may opt to reuse existing security groups when available.

Retention

The archive storage system is designed for long-term retention of MCW data. As such, there is no retention limit, assuming storage fees are paid.

Cost

The archive storage rate is $50/TB/year. All fees must be prepaid and minimum increment is 1 TB. Minimum duration is 1 year (January 1 to December 31), or the number of months until the start of the next calendar year. Fees will be prorated according to the number of months until December 31. Research Computing will not refund storage fees for any reason.

Data Protection

The archive storage system includes enterprise resilience and full replication for disaster recovery. Data will be saved across servers, disks, and tape. Data will also be copied in real-time between the two data centers.