## Storage considerations

There are several storage options available to VU researchers, each with its own set of benefits and limitations. When deciding where to store your research data, it is important to first assess your specific requirements and use this evaluation to make an informed decision about which storage option is most suitable for your research data. This section will highlight the key factors that influence storage selection, while the following section will help align these factors with the available storage options.

#### Data Quantity:

- Depending on the kind of data you work with, storage capacity can be an important factor on your decision. This refers to the total file size and number of files you will produce throughout your research. This consideration is particularly relevant if you work with data such as EEG, MRI, FMRI, video files or high resolution imaging. Data volumes exceeding 500GB can be classified as a large.

#### Data Sensitivity:

- Regulations and policies for handling sensitive (personal) data require specific conditions for data storage. If working with personal data, it is important to consider the vulnerability of the population and the identifiability of the information collected; the higher these are, the higher sensitivity your data is. Features such as restricted access, two-factor authentication, and encryption increase the suitability of the storage location.

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#### Data Sharing:

- If you are working with organizations outside of the VU, not all storage options will be suitable. It is important to consider who you will be collaborating with and whether they need access to the data. Collaboration does not always require that all parties have access to all of the data, so considering the level of access will also help determine where to store your data (e.g., at the folder and sub-folder level).

#### Physical or Digital Data:

- Data comes in a variety of formats. As we move towards digitisation, there is an increased focus on the digital data produced during research. However, when working with data which is physical, such as paper questionnaires, informed consent, physical samples, etc., you should also plan a suitable storage location for physical data.

The above factors are discussed with requirements in mind, but it is also important to consider which requirements are not necessary. For example, if your data is non-sensitive & non-personal, you should not add security measures which are not necessary.