UHasselt Research Data Storage

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Storage Guide Institutional storage solutions UH endorsed external solutions How to request storage

Storage Guide

 

Institutional storage solutions

Physical Datasets

  • Follow the standardized practices in your research group and choose a suitable storage location according to the needs for your data type.
  • Use keys and badges for physical access control to the offices and storage facilities (cabinet, fridge, freezer etc.).

Digital Datasets

  • Use a cloud-based (e.g., Google shared drive) or network storage (e.g., UH research drive) solution that allows you to share your data with your hierarchical responsible (e.g., promotor, supervisor) from the start of the project. 
  • As the RDM policy plan describes, sharing your research data (and related documents) with your hierarchical responsible (e.g., promotor, supervisor) is mandatory.
Introduction & step-by-step guide

Google Shared Drive

Microsoft SharePoint (Teams)

UH research drive

Remarks

Location

Cloud-based storage in Europe

Migration to Microsoft in Q2 2026 - 2027

Institutional on-premise network attached storage

Not impacted by migration to Microsoft

Intended use
Comprehensive and simultaneous collaboration. 

Recommended for working documents.

All research data

Recommended for raw/unprocessed, passive and/or archival data

Especially, high-volume, confidential, or sensitive research data

Maximal storage size

Up to 1TB / drive *

Google:

  • max. 750 Gb / 24 hours / user 
  • 500,000 items / drive

Microsoft:

  • max. file size 250Gb
  • path length: 400 characters
  • 30,000,000 items / drive

Unlimited

* For Google Shared Drive, the 1TB storage limit can be increased on request to enable external collaboration.

Confidential or sensitive data

No *

Yes

Confidential or sensitive data are information that need enhanced protection because of legal, ethical, contractual, procedural, or policy obligations. More information on confidential or sensitive data. 

* For Google Shared Drive, data encryption might be necessary depending on the type of data. 

Sharing & collaboration

Extensive collaboration possibilities inside and outside UHasselt.

Collaborative, simultaneous editing is possible.

Recommended for collaboration with external partners.

Non-simultaneous collaboration with UHasselt personnel.*

Recommended for collaboration within UHasselt.

* On the UH Research Drive, external sharing requires requesting a UHasselt Guest account.

Security

Medium

High

Back-up mechanism

Versioning

Snapshots

Access Management
  • Drive‑level changes managed by the drive administrator.
  • Fine‑grained user permissions (viewer, commenter, editor, or link-based sharing etc.), including on folder and file level.
  • Drive‑level changes managed by IT (request via the UH Service Desk). 
  • No fine-grained user permissions, view and edit permission for all users at the drive level.

Price 

 

< 1TB: free 
> 1TB: 100 EUR /TB/year

< 1TB: free 
> 1TB: 100 EUR TB/year

These costs apply to projects starting on or after January 1, 2026.

For data volumes exceeding 1 TB, the cost is calculated as:

(Volume in TB − 1) × €100 × Number of years

Example: For 5 TB stored over 10 years: 

(5 − 1) × €100 × 10 = €4,000

UH endorsed external solutions

Belnet filesender

The Belnet filesender is the preferred solution for a one-time data transfer. It allows you to securely share large (up to 5TB) datafiles.

Avoid using external devices (e.g., USB drive, external Hard Drives) to avoid data loss and security breaches. However, if you do need to use an external device, make sure to encrypt the device. Use Bitlocker To Go (available via your Windows device).

Electronic Data Capture (EDC)

Electronic Data Capture (EDC) software provides an efficient and safe platform in compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and GDPR, which can be used to build and manage your electronic case report form, online surveys, and databases. EDC software is mandatory for clinical studies but is not restricted to this type of research.

At Hasselt University, the following EDC is recommended and partly supported (financially):

  • Castor. Castor complies with ICH-GCP (Good Clinical Practice) which is a requirement of the KCE (Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre) to compete for funding.

Castor EDC is coordinated by LCRC. If you have any further questions, please contact lcrc@uhasselt.be.

Electronic Research Notebook (ERN/ELN)

An Electronic Research Notebook (ERN) or Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) is an efficient tool for documenting and storing data in a secure environment with access control and for collaborating with colleagues. It is a digital equivalent of the paper laboratory notebook in which data documentation (protocols, parameters, experiment set-up, descriptions/results of experiments, etc.) are stored for verification, future use, valorization purposes, etc.

Based on the advice of an internal multidisciplinary expert panel, Hasselt University recommends and partly supports (financially):

  • Signals Notebook: For discipline-specific use (Chemistry, Biology and Physics). Molecular drawings are possible.
  • eLabFTW: For general use. Very user-friendly, and intuitive.
  • Open Science Framework (OSF): For international use. This ELN requires additional training.

We have trained ELN champions at Hasselt University who can offer colleagues support in a very accessible way and, if necessary, can give short information sessions:

  • Neurology: Lieve Van Veggel, Elisabeth Piccart (eLabFTW)
  • Immunology: Igna Rutten (eLabFTW)

If you would like more information about ELNs, please get in touch with our RDM helpdesk.

Github

License: free (Github Enterprise access Github Campus Program)

GitHub is a cloud-based platform to store and maintain Git repositories for software code and text-based data files, facilitating collaboration. Available via the UHasselt Software Center.

Vlaams Supercomputer Centrum (VSC)

VSC is a storage solution for research projects with large datasets and high-performing computing needs. More information is available through the VSC website, such as: 

If you conduct research in collaboration with private companies, please get in touch with Geert Jan Bex for more information.

How to request storage

Request research data storage

UH research drive & Google shared drive

  • servicedesk.uhasselt.be
  • Click the button Register a request
  • Select Applications Research & Innovation
  • Select Research Data Management (RDM)
  • Select Request storage space for active research data
  • Complete the form and click on submit
Step-by-step guide

Access management

UH research drive

  • servicedesk.uhasselt.be
  • Click the button Register a request
  • Select Applications Research & Innovation
  • Select Research Data Management (RDM)
  • Select Change in access to UHasselt Research Drive
  • Complete the form and click on submit

Collection

Support

Practical