WGS Data management course

1. WGS Data management course Try-out 2012-09-24, Hugo Besemer

2. Short time storage: file and path names • MS/Windows , Mac OS allow very long names but ... • Are your filenames descriptive? • Are your filenames unique? 8.3 convention (12345678.abc ) important e.g. when burning CD’s or DVD’s Avoid spaces for files that may go on the web Avoid punctuation () \ / : * ? " < >’ As they may be reserved in operating system or programming languages

3. Short time storage: Descriptive file names Descriptive filename Not unique Unique in a folder structure (across folders) (across folders) This will work for relatively small numbers of files. If large numbers of files are produced automatically non-descriptive filenames may be used. You need to know something else (“DAMS “Digital assets management system”) to keep track what is what

4. Short time storage: version control • Questions and Best practices • Are you working alone or with others? • Do you store files at different locations? (synchronisation) • Keep track of ‘master files’ and ‘milestone files’ and store them in a single location (Dropbox?) • Identifying versions • Use a naming convention that includes date or number (..._v1, ..._v2) • Your software may be able to do (part of) the job

5. Backups • Stick to the agreed way of working within your group (if there are any) • In the next slides some points of view from the Wageningen UR IT department (FB-IT)

6. Backups: IT Data storage Continuity Versus • Data centre . Secure: (fire, power incidents, burglary). • 2 data centres in case of disaster • The equipment is fail-safe • 500 TB reserved, 300 in use, 1 PB avail

7. Backups: ICT Data Products & Services

8. Backups: Better alignment (% is total percentage of score + 1 up or down)

9. Backups: Data storage workshop conclusions • Enhancements Request: • Lower the price • Set up a Concern policy for Information security • Higher flexibility (request period, use period, costing, etc) • Accessibility for external people • Deliver a Product for Archiving • Higher throughput (data rate) • What is the next step? • Building a roadmap for IT Storage and Products

10. Long term storage: Metadata Metadata are structured data that provide a short summary about any information resource, print or electronic, and facilitate the location, identification, or discovery of that resource. • Content metadata • Context metadata • Metadata serves different purposes: • Subject terms, titles • creator, place , time, project • Location. Metadata can indicate where an information resource is located, either physically or virtually. • Identification. Metadata can distinguish one information resource from another without describing the entire collection of information resources. • Resource discovery. Metadata can link a user's queries about a particular subject with those information resources about the same subject.

11. Long term storage: metadata and datasets

12. Long term storage: metadata and datasets 2

13. Long term storage: metadata and datasets 3 DANS: Dutch national repository for datasets Unique ID

14. Long term storage: metadata, datasets and preservation It’s as open as you want it to be In a sustainable format, independent of (version of) software With proper documentation for re-use

15. Long term storage: selection • Practical • Origin • Status • Subject content • Easy to reproduce • Cost of documentation / conversion acceptable • File size • Reliable • Authentic • Is it stored elsewhere? • Required for verification • Required for legal purposes Re-usable General interest (WUR)mission

16. What does all this mean for your data management plan?