Using ResearchDrive with SSCC Servers

Unfortunately, only faculty and a few others are eligible for their own ResearchDrive space. Project directories for graduate students and others who are not eligible for ResearchDrive must be hosted by faculty in their ResearchDrive space. Faculty, we are counting on you to make sure all graduate students have a place to store their research data.

Insofar as we can, we have made working with projects in ResearchDrive similar to working with projects in SSCC storage. Projects managed by the SSCC will be placed under a folder called sscc inside the host's ResearchDrive. 

Request a project by filling out the project request form. The form will detect if you have ResearchDrive space that the SSCC can manage. If it says you do not but you are eligible for ResearchDrive space, email the Help Desk and we will help you request ResearchDrive space and set it up. If you are not eligible, you'll be asked to name the person who will host your project. They'll then get an email asking them to approve your request to use their ResearchDrive space.

We cannot manage ResearchDrive space for SMPH affiliates or those without SSCC accounts. If you are an SMPH affiliate, you will need to contact SMPH IT for assistance with managing ResearchDrive permissions. If you are sharing your ResearchDrive with people who do not have SSCC accounts you’ll need to set those permissions using the DoIT-provided tool for managing permissions, called Manifest. 

Restricted Drive and Sensitive Data

Restricted Drive is similar to ResearchDrive, but for sensitive and restricted data. Restricted Drive can only be accessed from designated computers that meet specific security requirements. The SSCC's Silo environment meets those requirements and can access Restricted Drive. Note that when you request ResearchDrive space you'll be asked if you use sensitive or restricted data. If you say yes, you'll get Restricted Drive space instead of regular ResearchDrive space, and you'll only be able to use it with Silo or other high-security computers. Only say 'yes' if you work with the kind of data that goes in Silo and you plan to put that data in Restricted Drive.

We cannot create projects or manage permissions in Restricted Drive. You will need to use Manifest to give people access to your Restricted Drive space. Then email the Help Desk so we can set up rdmount for them.

The Linux servers in Silo have read-only access to regular ResearchDrive, so you can use ResearchDrive to move data into Silo, but not to move data out. This prevents sensitive data from being accidentally moved to regular ResearchDrive. (We can't enforce this restriction using Windows, so the Windows servers in Silo cannot access ResearchDrive.)

Connecting to ResearchDrive

ResearchDrive is available from anywhere on the UW-Madison campus network, or off-campus via VPN.

Connecting to ResearchDrive from Windows and Mac

On your own computer or Winstat, you can map a drive to ResearchDrive just like SSCC network drives. Specifically, map \\researchdrive.ssc.wisc.edu\project as the R: drive. For example, if you've been given access to PI bbadger's project called on_wisconsin, map R: to \\researchdrive.ssc.wisc.edu\project and then the project will be R:\on_wisconsin. 

When you are asked to log in, your username must be given as NetID@ad.wisc.edu where NetID should be replaced by your NetID (not the NetID of the person whose ResearchDrive you are using). Then give your NetID password (not SSCC password).

Connecting to ResearchDrive from Linux and Slurm

To access ResearchDrive from Linstat or LinSilo you'll use the rdmount command. You'll then be asked to provide your NetID password (not SSCC password). It will mount any ResearchDrive projects you have access to under /rdproject. For example, PI bbadger's project called on_wisconsin can be found at /rdproject/on_wisconsin.

That directory will be available until the next time the server is rebooted. For the next seven days, any SSCC Linux server you log into or submit a Slurm job to will also automatically mount that directory. After seven days, ResearchDrive will still be available on servers you've logged into (unless they have been rebooted) but will no longer be mounted automatically on new servers. That could cause problems with jobs submitted to Slurm, for example.

We suggest you run rdmount every seven days so that ResearchDrive will always be available. You'll get a reminder when you log in if your ResearchDrive credentials have expired.

Access to regular ResearchDrive from Silo is read-only: you can use it to move data into Silo but not to move data out. You can run jobs that use data on ResearchDrive as long as any output is stored in a different location.

Accessing Restricted Drive

On WinSilo, you can map a drive to Restricted Drive just like SSCC network drives. Specifically, map \\restricted.drive.wisc.edu\NetID as the R: drive, where NetID should be replaced by the NetID of the Restricted Drive owner. (There will not be an sscc directory or SSCC-managed projects in Restricted Drive.)

When you are asked to log in, your username must be given as NetID@ad.wisc.edu where NetID should be replaced by your NetID (not the NetID of the Restricted Drive owner). Then give your NetID password (not SSCC password).

To access Restricted Drive from LinSilo you'll use the rdmount command. You'll then be asked to provide your NetID password (not SSCC password). It will mount any Restricted Drive space you have access to under /restricteddrive/NetID, where NetID should be replaced by the NetID of the Restricted Drive owner. 

That directory will be available until the next time the server is rebooted. For the next seven days, any Silo Linux server you log into or submit a Slurm job to will also automatically mount that directory. After seven days, Restricted Drive will still be available on servers you've logged into (unless they have been rebooted) but will no longer be mounted automatically on new servers. That could cause problems with jobs submitted to SlurmSilo, for example.

We suggest you run rdmount every seven days so that Restricted Drive will always be available. You'll get a reminder when you log in if your Restricted Drive credentials have expired.

Transferring Data To and From ResearchDrive

You can move data to and from ResearchDrive using standard tools, including drag-and-drop to a mapped drive for all but the largest transfers. The following articles describe more options.

• ResearchDrive - Transferring Data with an Apple Computer
• ResearchDrive - Transferring Data with a Linux Computer
• ResearchDrive - Transferring Data with a Windows Computer

Backups and Restores

The SSCC does not handle backups or restoring files from ResearchDrive or Restricted Drive. Refer to ResearchDrive - Restoring Files or Folders from Snapshots for information, including how long backups are retained and how you can do your own restores. If you need further assistance with restoring files from ResearchDrive or Restricted Drive, contact the ResearchDrive team at researchdrive@wisc.edu.