Storage Comparison¶
Purpose¶
This page provides a high-level comparison of how data is stored, accessed, and moved.
It distinguishes between:
- storage systems (where data lives)
- access and synchronisation tools
- data transfer tools
For detailed behaviour and policies, follow the linked reference pages.
System categories¶
| Category | Description | See |
|---|---|---|
| Storage (authoritative) | Systems where research data is stored and managed | Storage service |
| Access and synchronisation | Tools for accessing and sharing data | Storage service |
| Data transfer | Tools for moving data between systems | Data transfer |
Comparison¶
| System | Category | Best for | Not suitable for | See details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HPC file systems (home, project, scratch) | Storage | Compute workflows | External sharing, long-term unmanaged storage | HPC storage and file systems |
| Research Data Store (RDS) | Storage | Active research data (team access) | High-performance compute workloads | Storage service |
| Nextcloud | Access / synchronisation | Sharing and collaboration | Large datasets, compute workflows | Storage service |
| Globus / SCP / rsync | Data transfer | Moving data between systems | Storing data | Data transfer |
Key distinctions¶
- Storage systems hold the authoritative copy of data
- Access tools provide user-facing interaction and sharing
- Transfer tools move data but do not retain it
These systems are complementary and should be used together, not interchangeably.