Storage advice
The need to store and manipulate electronic data is essential to University business.
At University and School levels there are a wide range of options available for storing electronic data. Use of storage media is increasing exponentially, however protecting University Intellectual Property (IP) and ensuring no loss of personal identifiable data is critical, along with efficiency in finding necessary data.
When storing data in such places it is very important that this is done knowingly and with full understanding of the risks as well as the benefits.
To assist in this regard a small working group was formed, including colleagues from GOVRN, and the following guidance document has been produced.
If you require more information on data storage please contact your Local Computing Representative or your insrvAssist contact.
All staff have a responsibility to take appropriate measures to protect the data they handle.
| Data Category 1: PERSONAL DATA (not in public domain) |
Data contains information about living individuals and it is possible to identify those individuals, e.g.: - list of student names and addresses;
- interview transcripts;
- application forms;
- bank account details (credit & debit card details MUST NOT be stored on University IT systems)
Protection from unauthorised access or disclosure
Personal data will need protection from unauthorised access or disclosure unless it is already in the public domain (e.g. on a public facing webpage). The greater the potential distress or damage that could be caused to those individuals through unauthorised disclosure, the greater the level of security and access controls that should be applied. See the definition of ‘Sensitive Personal Data’ and the University’s Data Protection Pages. Protection from inadvertent loss or corruption
It may also require protection from loss or corruption, depending on the nature and purpose of the dataset – see Category 3. |
| Acceptable places to store | Acceptable places to store IF precautions are taken | Unacceptable places to store |
Home H:
 | Shared R or S:
If access is restricted to staff who need access to the personal data Closed Connections Community  If membership is restricted to staff who need access to the personal data and backup levels are deemed acceptable. Quickr TeamPlace  If membership is restricted to staff who need access to the personal data Learning Central If access to the area of Learning Central is restricted to those who need access to the personal data School-based file or web server  Check with local IT staff to ensure suitability External file store  If assessment of suitability has been made based on service level agreement and GOVRN's guidance Local hard drive (in desktop PC) or large portable device   If data is encrypted. Consider if backup is needed and consult with local IT staff to arrange. | Central Cardiff University website External website Small portable devices (e.g. USB, CD)    Not suitable as primary storage location and should not be used for extensive periods. May be used for short term storage and transportation if suitable encryption or password security is applied. |
Back to top
| Data Category 2: CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION |
Data contains confidential or 'secret' information (not falling into Category 1) which has the potential to harm the University's interests if it were disclosed inappropriately or inadvertently, or lost/corrupted. This category of data includes security details, certain financial information, information which is commercially sensitive or managed under contract, and confidential strategic matters, e.g.: - passwords, restricted area access arrangements and plans. etc;
- intellectual property;
- information subject to contractual requirements re data security (e.g. research grant);
- workforce planning.
Protection from unauthorised access or disclosure
This data requires strict security measures and controlled access. Protection from inadvertent loss or corruption
This data is likely to require protection from loss or corruption. |
| Acceptable places to store | Acceptable places to store IF precautions are taken | Unacceptable places to store |
Home H:
| Shared R or S:
If access is restricted to staff who need access to the confidential business information Closed Connections Community If membership is restricted to staff who need access to the confidential business information and backup levels are deemed acceptable. Quickr TeamPlace If membership is restricted to staff who need access to the confidential business information Learning Central If access to the area of Learning Central is restricted to those who need access to the confidential business information School-based file or web server Check with local IT staff to ensure suitability External file store If assessment of suitability has been made based on service level agreement and GOVRN's guidance Local hard drive (in desktop PC) or large portable device If data is encrypted. Consider if backup is needed and consult with local IT staff to arrange. | Central Cardiff University website External website Small portable devices (e.g. USB, CD) Not suitable as primary storage location and should not be used for extensive periods. May be used for short term storage and transportation if suitable encryption or password security is applied. |
Back to top
| Data Category 3: LARGE AND/OR UNIQUE DATASETS/FILES |
A large (greater than 1000MB or 1GB) and/or unique collation/collection of information which it would be impossible to replicate or where it would cause extreme inconvenience to do so, e.g.: - genome sequencing;
- geographical data;
- astronomical images.
Protection from unauthorised access or disclosure
Will not necessarily require protection from unauthorised access or disclosure unless the data also falls under either of Categories 1 and 2. Protection from inadvertent loss or corruption
The need to protect from loss or corruption will be paramount. |
| Acceptable places to store | Acceptable places to store IF precautions are taken | Unacceptable places to store |
Home H:
See local IT staff for space requirements Shared R or S: See local IT staff for space requirements Learning Central File should be placed in the "Content Collection" and should only be stored here if used for teaching. | School-based file or web server
Check with local IT staff to ensure suitability External file store or website If assessment of suitability has been made based on service level agreement and GOVRN's guidance Local hard drive (in desktop PC) or large portable device
If some form of backup process is instigated, consult with local IT staff to arrange. | Connections
Not suitable for files over 75MB. Quickr TeamPlace Not suitable for files over 100MB. Central Cardiff University website Small portable devices (e.g. USB, CD) Not suitable as primary storage location and should not be used for extensive periods. |
Back to top
| Data Category 4: OTHER |
Information not falling into any of the above categories. Protection from unauthorised access or disclosure
Unlikely to require protection from unauthorised access or disclosure. Protection from inadvertent loss or corruption
May still require protection from loss or corruption for business efficiency purposes. |
| Acceptable places to store | Acceptable places to store IF precautions are taken | Unacceptable places to store |
Home H:
Shared R or S: Learning Central | School-based file or web server
Check with local IT staff to ensure suitability External file store or website If assessment of suitability has been made based on service level agreement and GOVRN's guidance Local hard drive (in desktop PC) or large portable device Consider if backup is needed and consult with local IT staff to arrange. Connections If backup levels are deemed acceptable. Quickr TeamPlace If backup levels are deemed acceptable. Central Cardiff University website If information needs to be communicated widely Small portable devices (e.g. USB, CD) If information is unlikely to require long term accessibility (periods over 7 years) or if small portable device is not the primary storage location. | |
Back to top
