What file storage to use when?

Recommended storage services for typical use cases

Documents and data related to Individual work (e.g. drafts, HR notes, etc.):

• Home -network directory for personal files not to be shared at any point.
• OneDrive for drafts and sharing files for comments.

Instructions for home network directoryCloud storage - OneDrive & Google DriveRemember that important data & final documents should not be stored in personal data storage.

Meeting notes and presentations:

• Microsoft Teams area for the group (if there’s any)
• Alternatively, OneDrive or Google Workspace to easily share notes & presentations with participants later on.

Microsoft TeamsCloud storage - OneDrive & Google Drive

Any project or teamwork requiring shared access to common files:

• Microsoft Teams area for the project, for efficient collaboration with office documents and communication features such as chat. 
• With Google Workspace, use Shared Drive to connect ownership with the group instead of individual people.
• For datasets over 100 GB, a teamwork folder for sharing data within Aalto University.

Microsoft TeamsGoogle's instructions to setup Shared DriveFile storage space for research and groups (teamwork)

Collaboration projects with people outside from Aalto University:

• Microsoft Teams area for the project, or another cloud storage service: OneDrive, Google Workspace or Dropbox.

Microsoft TeamsCloud storage - OneDrive & Google DriveAalto Dropbox Quick guide

Sending / receiving files, occasional file transfers: 

• Small files <20 MB, e-mail attachments or cloud services (OneDrive, Google Workspace, Dropbox)
• Large files and batches (< 300 GB): Funet FileSender, each transfer may have 1-30 files with total size of maximum 300 GB.
• Huge files and data transfers: contact [email protected] for custom solution that suits your exact need. Options include custom SFTP servers, CSC Allas, cloud platforms (Azure/GCP/AWS), etc.

Cloud storage - OneDrive & Google DriveAalto Dropbox Quick guideFunet FileSender

Remote access to data (outside the campus):

• Network drives can be accessed using VPN, cloud services work with internet access.

Remote connection to Aalto's network with VPN

Personal files and notes:

• Store files in OneDrive, for wide access with different devices (mobile and computers). Try OneNote for taking notes.
• Alternatively, Google Workspace if preferred.

Cloud Storage - OneDrive & Google Drive

Special recommendations for different user groups

Researchers

To keep research data for later internal use at Aalto University, clean up the data, document it, and use teamwork network drive. Alternatively, there’s a tape archival option for large datasets that are to be accessed rarely.

File storage space for research and groups (Teamwork)

Read more from: Storage services for research data | Aalto University

To publish research data, we recommend a discipline-specific repository for best impact. Zenodo, or Fairdata IDA for datasets over 50 GB, are recommended general-purpose repositories. More details at:

Practical steps to publish the research data

Large temporary storage (several terabytes or more) without backups is not offered centrally but is available in certain workflows. Triton cluster has scratch for temporary data, and CSC Allas or cloud platforms can be considered for this purpose.

Triton tutorial on using scratch

CSC Allas documentation

For research projects we recommend teamwork as internal storage and Microsoft Teams as platform for external collaboration.

File storage space for research and groups (Teamwork)

Microsoft Teams

For very large storage needs (tens of terabytes) please contact [email protected] to discuss data management and lifecycle issues of your case in detail. We are very likely to provide you with storage that’s suitable to your case and cost-efficient to Aalto University. 

Teachers

For sharing files with students, MyCourses is the primary choice. For files and datasets that are too big to attach to MyCourses, you can put them downloadable to OneDrive or Google Workspace and share the link in MyCourses. Remember to delete the big files when not needed anymore. Ordering Teamwork network drive good alternative when teaching do not have enough storage capacity of its own or when the data should be stored in a secure, fault-tolerant location.

MyCourses digital learning environment

Cloud storage - OneDrive & Google Drive

TeamWork - for large data

For sharing files among colleagues, we recommend Microsoft Teams area with suitable access settings.

Microsoft Teams

Service staff

Files and documents related to certain working role / position are recommended to keep on a network storage work, either with shared team access or individual access, depending on confidentiality. Documents important for Aalto, such as legally stipulated documents, are preserved in SAHA, a defined system, or the group's network drive, in accordance with Aalto University's Information Management Plan (TOS).

File storage space for work and studies

To share files with a team, use Microsoft Teams limited to your team only. You can also have a network folder work for seldomly accessed and archived files. 

Microsoft TeamsFile storage space for work and studiesFor general guidance, instructions, process descriptions, etc. that may be shared within Aalto (classification level public or internal), a Microsoft Teams area accessible to large audience (unit or Aalto) is a suitable option (e.g. Finance Teams, Aalto.fi, Personal data and research, …).

Microsoft TeamsFor occasional handling of data outside the original master data system (on any service process like HR, Studies, Finance, IT services, etc.), use personal home directory and delete temporary files when not needed anymore. E.g. creating a temporary excel for data analysis.

File storage space for work and studies

Students

Students can use Microsoft Teams, OneDrive and Google Workspace. These are good for both individual and teamwork. 
Alternatively, network drive home is available. It can be used remotely with VPN.

Microsoft TeamsCloud storage - OneDrive & Google DriveFile storage space for work and studies

Visitor

Aalto visitor account can be used to access network drives. This can be useful e.g. working with large confidential data (100 GB and more) or accessing data from measurement devices.
Cloud services can be used by registration to the cloud provider (Microsoft, Google, Dropbox, CSC).

Visitor

Storage for confidential data

No problem, all recommended services are approved to use with confidential data when handled properly. 

Storage for secret data

Use only approved IT systems to store and handle the data classified as secret. These recommendations are based on the encryption guidelines and basic instructions for classification of information. Check the applicability of any other system from the service list of the basic instructions, or contact [email protected] for advice.

For individual work with secret data

Use strong encryption and network storage with restricted access (home or work). Recommended encryption tools include:

• built-in encryption for MS Office documents
• encrypted ZIP (e.g. 7zip)
• VeraCrypt container to work with several files or a folder

Encrypting e-mail and files

For internal collaboration

To work with the dedicated team from Aalto University, use secwork network storage share.

Secure data storage secwork

For external collaboration

If you have data from different classification levels to share, you can setup Microsoft Teams or OneDrive restricted to your group. You mustseparately encrypt the secret data before uploading to your collaboration folder in the cloud. You can share data with other classification levels at the same location without encryption.

For research collaborations involving mostly secret data, there’s an option to setup a common secure working environment for the project. Aalto University has SECDATA service that is audited compliant with Findata requirements and the legislation on the secondary use of health and social data. CSC has SD Desktop service that is useful to collaborate with secret data.

Encrypting e-mail and files

Secure operating environment for sensitive data

CSC Sensitive data services for research

To send/receive secret data

• Small files <20 MB, use encrypted e-mail or encrypt files and send as e-mail attachments. Alternatively, encrypt files and share with OneDrive.
• Large files and batches (< 300 GB): Encrypt files and then share them with Funet FileSender, each transfer may have 1-30 files with total size of maximum 300 GB.
• Huge files and data transfers: contact [email protected] for custom solution that suits your exact need.

Encrypting e-mail and files

Funet FileSender service