Infrastructure progress report
- The research data storage kit has been delivered and is currently being installed.
- Intersect’s Storage Allocation Committee has approved 42 collections for ingest into the Intersect node to date, totalling 1186TB of data.
- 18 collections have been technically assessed, meaning that the technical requirements have been worked out between Intersect and the data custodians.
- On completion of the technical assessment, the next steps are migration planning, data ingestion and access.
- Fully operational technical services are scheduled for late October 2013.
More at http://www.intersect.org.au/data-storage.
Software reuse project begins at Macquarie
One of Intersect’s aims is to deliver projects that provide services to many research endeavours and thereby return greater value to members on their investment. One way we do this is by creating configurable and skinable solutions based on the needs of particular research projects.
Intersect has begun reusing software based on the DC21 (HIEv) project developed for the University of Western Sydney (UWS). The new project, the name of which is yet to be confirmed, is using the DC21 (HIEv) software for Macquarie University’s Faculty of Business and Economics.
The proposed software system is a web-based data management repository. The system allows researchers to store and access data collected during the course of their research in a structured manner. All related data (and associated metadata) is linked in a manner appropriate to the study being conducted.
This system will provide the following benefits. It will:
- reduce the risk of data loss
- increase efficiency and therefore reduce the cost of data collection
- increase discoverability of data
- provide secure and centralised access to the latest data and
- assist with the correct interpretation of data.
The potential also exists to extend the system to export collection-level metadata to the institutional metadata repository for harvesting by Research Data Australia. This will promote the reuse of data and enable collaborations with researchers outside of Macquarie University.
While ensuring the project provides a successful solution to the Faculty of Business and Economics is the highest priority, we will also work to ensure that new features are usable by UWS (or can be turned off through configuration). The intention is to prioritise and scope new features, to maximise the benefits, where appropriate, to both Macquarie University and UWS.
This project is supported by the Australian National Data Service (ANDS). ANDS is supported by the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy Program and the Education Investment Fund (EIF) Super Science Initiative.
Applications open for Merit Allocation Scheme (NCMAS)
Applications for the 2014 National Computational Merit Allocation Scheme (NCMAS) open on Friday 4 October and close at 9am, Friday 1 November 2013.
To find out about eligibility to apply, click here.
Applications to the NCMAS are prepared online via the NCMAS web site, http://ncmas.nci.org.au
Come to the first THATCamp in Sydney
The State Library of NSW and Intersect Australia are proud to present THATCamp Sydney 2013 over two big days in October.
“THATCamp stands for ‘The Humanities and Technology Camp.’ It is an unconference: an open, inexpensive meeting where humanists and technologists of all skill levels learn and build together in sessions proposed on the spot.” This is the first time (to our knowledge) a THATCamp has been held in Sydney.
If you’ve never attended a THATCamp before, you can get a good idea of what goes on at them by looking the websites of previous THATCamps in Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane (to list a few of hundreds) and the thatcamp.org website.
Places are strictly limited, allocated on a first-come-first-served based, and will go fast, so please register now on this page:
http://thatcampsydney2013.eventbrite.com.au
Location: State Library of NSW (Get directions)
http://sydney2013.thatcamp.org
Learning & Development
The following training courses will occur in the near future:
- 8-9 Oct: Intro to Unix & HPC, Intersect board room, register at http://intersect-29.eventbrite.com.au/
- 17 Oct: Data visualisation using Google Fusion tables, Intersect board room, register at http://intersect-37.eventbrite.com.au
- 17 Oct: Cleaning and Exploring your Data with Open Refine – Intersect, Intersect board room, register at http://intersect-36.eventbrite.com.au
- 14 Nov UNSW – Introduction to Unix and HPC (HPC for Wimps), register at http://intersect-32.eventbrite.com.au/
- 4 Dec: UNSW – Parallel Programming for HPC (Advanced), register at http://intersect-33.eventbrite.com.au/
Intersect website refreshed
Visit Intersect’s website over the coming months to see evolving changes at www.intersect.org.au
New staff
We welcome new staff Wei Fang (HPC Specialist), Siobhan Buckley, (casual Project Manager) and Jennifer Buehler, (casual eResearch Trainer).
