Data Management and Retention Policy

Current Version

Note

This reproduction of Version 2.0 (last updated Nov 18, 2022) is provided for convenience. The original document here remains the authoritative source in case of discrepancies.

1. Data Management and Privacy

1.1. Only NSCC users themselves and those whom they explicitly grant permission to will have access to their respective data.

1.2. Users are responsible for the management and control of their own data. NSCC accepts no liability for any data loss or unauthorised data access.

1.3. The default setting for all NSCC users is for only the respective users to be able to access their own data (in UNIX parlance, umask = 770). Users are responsible for their own data and have to ensure that they do not divulge the data to anyone else.

1.4. NSCC undertakes not to access the contents of users' data without their express consent. Such consent usually arises from the users' helpdesk requests or enquiries, which will require NSCC to access the data in question (e.g. job script or job run issues, transfer of large data, etc.).

1.5. Notwithstanding, NSCC, with express authorisation from the Chief Executive (CE) NSCC, may access users' data for the purpose of fact finding and / or investigations if there is any suspicion of fraud or misuse of NSCC's resources in accordance to NSCC's Accepted Use Policy (AUP). All data will remain confidential and left intact except if needed as evidence (if any) in formal investigation reports, in which case the user and their parent organisation will be duly notified.

2. User Data

2.1. Any user data stored in their home directory will be deleted from the system if the account has not been accessed for more than 365 days (1 year) from the date of the last login.

3. Scratch Disk Data

3.1. The scratch disk is a temporary space for working or transient data. Any file that has not been accessed for more than 30 days may be removed without notice.

3.2. Data on the scratch disk will not be archived at the end of the project.

4. Project Data

4.1. Project data will be stored in the project directory for the full duration of the approved project cycle.

4.2. Projects that are not renewed will automatically expire at the end of the project cycle. This is applicable to all projects, including those from stakeholders, non-stakeholders and industry projects.

4.3. For expired project data:

a) All project data will remain in the system for 30 days after the expiry of the project.

b) After 30 days, all project data will be archived.

c) The archived data will be retained for 5 months before it is expunged from the system.

4.4. Users may also choose to purge their data from the system before the expiry of their project, in which case NSCC will not maintain any archive of the said data.

Version History

Version	Last Updated
2.0	Nov 18, 2022
1.0	Feb 8, 2021