research_data_management.pptx

Research Data Management
Dr. Om Prakash Singh
Asst. Prof., IIT Mandi
www.omprakashsingh.com

1. Selection & formulation of Research Problem
2. Literature survey
3. Development of working hypotheses
4. Research design
5. Sampling strategy or sample design
6. Pilot (quick & dirty) study
7. Data collection
8. Processing & analysis of data
9. Testing hypotheses
10.Interpretation & generalisation
11.Preparation of the report
Research Process
What is missing?

1. Selection & formulation of Research Problem
2. Literature survey
3. Development of working hypotheses
4. Research design
5. Sampling strategy or sample design
6. Pilot (quick & dirty) study
7. Data collection
8. Processing & analysis of data
9. Testing hypotheses
10.Interpretation & generalisation
11.Preparation of the report
Research Process
Data backup and management

Backing-up data
• Making back-ups of files is an essential element of data management.
• Regular back-ups protect against accidental or malicious data loss and
can be used to restore originals if there is loss of data.
Accidental or malicious loss of data can be due to:
a) hardware faults or failure
b) software or media faults
c) virus infection or malicious hacking
d) power failure
e) human errors by changing or deleting files
Which one is more serious?

Data back-up strategies
1. Should you back up particular data files or back up
the entire system?
• What will you need to restore in the event of data loss? If
your institution can restore your system then you may
wish to take responsibility only for your data files.
• If it cannot, you may wish to take full responsibility for
your own 'system' back-ups.
• Where applicable this should include portable computers
or devices, non-network computers and home-based
computers.
• Where data contain research information, care should be
taken to create the adequate number of copies needed,
e.g. a master file and one back-up copy.

2. Does your institution have a back-up policy?
• Most universities have a back-up policy for data that are
held on a university network space.
• You should check with your university about any
strategies and policies in place.
• If you are not happy with the robustness of the solution
you should maintain an independent back-up of critical
files.

3. How often should you back up?
• To reduce risk as far as possible, back-ups should be made after every
change to data or at regular intervals.
• You can use an automated back-up process to back up frequently used
and critical data files.
• Microsoft SyncToy (freeware) is an easy-to-use method of synchronising
files in different locations.

1. Synchronize takes the two folders and makes
sure they have exactly the same files. To do
this, SyncToy may copy files in either
direction and may delete or rename files in
either folder. In the case that a file has been
updated in both the left and right folders, the
version with the later modification date is
considered the conflict winner and will
overwrite the other version.
2. Echo looks for changes (file modifications,
new files, renames, deletes) in the left folder
and makes them in the right folder (one-way
sync).
3. Contribute is like an Echo, but it does not
delete any files on the right folder that may
have been deleted in the left folder.
SyncToy defines three different types of
operation to synchronize two folders
Demo

Other offline backup tools
• FBackup
Backup is a free backup utility which protects your files by backing
them up, on a customized schedule, into a USB or an external hard
disk, even on other computers across the network. The backed up
files can either be in original or compressed format.

• Genie Timeline
With Genie Timeline, you will be able to start your
backup within two simple steps. A complete report will
be provided to show you details of your backed up data
type, file count, size on disk and percentage of backup.

• GFI BackUp
GFI BackUp allows you to backup your important data and
folders with a smart and powerful wizard. You can choose to
backup your data and directories to local and external hard
disks, over a network, CD/DVD or even remote FTP servers.

Allway Sync
Allway Sync synchronizes your files and directories among your PC,
external drives, remote FTP servers and more with an innovative
synchronization algorithm. It comes with an easy-to-use graphical
interface and can generate a report for any synchronization actions.

• EaseUS Todo Backup
EaseUS Todo Backup provides an all-in-one backup &
system recovery solution. It offers one-click restore system,
top-level disk and file backup, network-shared file backup
and automated schedule backup. EaseUS Todo Backup is
the most downloaded backup program on download.com.

• Paragon Backup & Recovery
• Toucan
• Areca Backup
• DirSync Pro
• Create Synchronicity
• Cobian Backup
• luckyBackup
• Personal Backup
• AceBackup
• DeltaCopy
• JaBack
It’s automatic, realiable and powerful. You can
schedule a backup task and transfer them to a
remote FTP server.

4. What file formats should I back up in?
• All digital information is designed to be interpreted by computer
programs to make it understandable and is - by nature - software
dependent. All digital data are thus endangered by the obsolescence
of the hardware and software environment on which access to data
depends.
• This typically means using open or standard formats - such as
OpenDocument Format (ODF), ASCII, tab-delimited format, comma-
separated values, XML - as opposed to proprietary ones. Some
proprietary formats, such as MS Rich Text Format, MS Excel, SPSS, are
widely used and likely to be accessible for a reasonable, but not
unlimited, time.
• Keep a copy in universal format e.g. PDF, pdf files now can be opened
in MS office

5. Where should I store my back-ups?
• Depending on the form of back-up and the risks associated with data loss, it
is most convenient to keep back-up files on a networked hard drive.
• For critical data, which are not available elsewhere, we would recommend
that you adopt offline storage on recordable CD/DVD, removable hard drive
or magnetic tape.
• Physical media can be safely stored in another location. Most
manufacturers provide recommendations for the best storage conditions of
physical media.
• Keep your research data in at least 2-3 forms: online, offline (CD/DVD +
hard disc)
• Work in folder that is back-up online continuously (or when internet
connection on)

6. Online back-up
• Bad things happen to good people.
• Despite their sizes, laptops get nicked, dropped or misplaced all the
time, and research says that out of the 2 million laptops that get
stolen every year, only 2% are ever recovered.
• The main issue for most is not that they have lost their hardware;
it’s the toil that goes into amassing the contents that really gets to
them (and all of us for that matter).
• Assignments, proposals, research data, song compilations, family
pictures – all gone in the blink of an eye.

6. Online back-up
• Google drive

• Dropbox
6. Online back-up
Dropbox is a popular online storage application which keeps
your data anywhere and allows you to share them easily to
friends, colleagues and family who also have a Dropbox
account. Just invite them to get them started on their own
Dropbox account. 2Gb data storage free initially.

6. Online back-up
• Box
Box allows you to store and share your important data
with confidence. It supports 99.9% up-time guarantee,
SSL encryption, redundant storage, configurable
permissions, and more.

6. Online back-up
• Comodo Backup
Comodo Backup offers 5GB free online storage space for
you to backup your files. You can easily access the files
from anywhere, and sync between computers.

• CrashPlan
6. Online back-up
CrashPlan lets you backup your important data and folders to
multiple destinations automatically without costing you anything.
It easily backs up your data to computers over a network or on the
Internet.

• Memopal
6. Online back-up
Memopal offers 3GB free online storage to backup your
important data on cloud. Just download Memopal and install
it on your computer. Memopal will automatically synchronize
selected folders and file it with a remote archive.

6. Online back-up
Mozy
BuddyBackup
Adrive
SugarSync
SkyDrive
CloudMe
iDrive
CX.Com
ADrive offers its users up to 50GB of free cloud storage and
backup for all file types for the personal Basic plan. You can
also store, backup, share, and edit your documents online.
SkyDrive offers 7GB free password-protected online
storage, with a limit of 2GB on individual files via SkyDrive
desktop app.
CloudMe features a free cloud-based storage of up to 3GB
with a desktop-like remote management interface. With
CloudMe, you can access, upload and share your files
from anywhere, even your phone
iDrive offers 5 GB free online storage to backup
information from an unlimited number of computers into
a single account.
CX.com offers 10GB of free online storage with a range of
unique features.

7. Validation of back-up copies
It is important that you verify and validate back-up files regularly by fully
restoring them to another location and comparing them with the original. Back-
up copies can be checked for completeness and integrity, for example by
checking the file size and date.

8. How should I organise my back-ups?
• If you are making your own back-ups on removable media, make sure they are
well labelled and well organised. Without some management, achieving the
ultimate aim of restoring lost data may prove difficult.
• Well-organised file names and folder structures make it easier to find and keep
track of data files. A system needs to be practical and used consistently.
File naming
Good file names can provide useful cues to the content and status of a file, can
uniquely identify a file and can help in classifying files. File names can contain project
acronyms, researchers' initials, file type information, a version number, file status
information and date.
Best practice is to:
• create meaningful but brief names
• use file names to classify broad types of files
• avoid using spaces and special characters
• avoid very long file names

Version numbering in file names is useful to indicate files revisions or edits, especially
in collaborations. This can be through discrete or continuous numbering depending
on minor or major revisions.

File structure
• In this example, data and
documentation files are held in
separate folders. Data files are further
organised according to data type and
then according to research activity.
• Documentation files are organised also
according to type of documentation file
and research activity.
• It helps to restrict the level of folders to
three or four deep and not to have
more than ten items in each list.

Data Security
• Anti-virus
• Online links
• Attachments
• locking computer systems with a password and installing a firewall system
• protecting servers by power surge protection systems through line-interactive
uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems
• implementing password protection of, and controlled access to, data files, e.g. no
access, read only, read and write or administrator-only permission
• controlling access to restricted materials with encryption
• imposing non-disclosure agreements for managers or users of confidential data
• not sending personal or confidential data via email or other file transfer means
without first encrypting them
• destroying data in a consistent manner when needed
• remember that file sharing services such as Google Docs or Dropbox may not be
that secure

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