ARCCA to Launch New FAIR Campus Research Data Services

Cardiff University is preparing to significantly enhance its support for research data management and research computing through the launch of FAIR Campus, a new, integrated service led by the Advanced Research Computing at Cardiff (ARCCA) team.

The FAIR Campus initiative represents a major refresh of the University’s research data infrastructure and services, supporting both internal research activity and collaboration with external partners. Underpinned by the internationally recognised FAIR Data Principles - Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reproducible - the new service will replace the University’s existing Research Data Store (RDS), which reaches the end of its supported lifespan this summer.

FAIR Campus will deliver a modern, scalable and secure research data platform, including a new 7 Petabyte (PB) RDS built on IBM Scale, a 1PB Research Data Archive (RDA) using IBM tape technology for long‑term retention, a new Research Data Management service using Starfish software, and offering encryption as required. Hardware for the new service has recently been delivered to the Cloud Centres datacentre marking a key milestone, with initial configuration work to begin shortly.

The new solution has been designed to ensure closer integration with the Falcon high‑performance computing service, reflecting the rapid growth of data‑intensive research across the University. This approach supports Cardiff University’s ambitions in areas such as advanced simulation, AI‑driven research, and large‑scale collaborative projects that rely on fast, reliable access to research data.

Data currently held on the existing RDS will be securely migrated to the new platform ahead of its end of life, with the first tranche of migrations going live in May and a full service launch expected in September.

The new RDA will provide a cost‑effective and greener option for the long‑term retention of “cold” research data that must be retained within the University, complementing the existing Research Data Repository (Figshare), which supports the publication of research data beyond Cardiff. Additional FAIR Campus‑aligned services, including Globus for data transfer and Trusted Research Environments, are also being explored for future rollout.

Alongside FAIR Campus, ARCCA will launch a new Research Software Engineering (RSE) service later in the year. The service will offer expertise in areas such as DevOps, scientific computing, HPC and AI modelling and will not be limited to ARCCA platforms. RSEs will be “parachuted” into Schools to help with small to medium sized software development projects, promote best practice in research software development, and support the release of software back to the wider research community, further enhancing Cardiff University’s research capability and profile.