ERDA Electronic Research Data Archive Aarhus University

Overview

ERDA (Electronic Research Data Archive) is a digital research data infrastructure operated by Aarhus University (AU) in Denmark. It is designed to support the storage, sharing, analysis, and archiving of research data generated by university researchers, staff, collaboration partners, and students. The platform is maintained by AU IT and delivered in accordance with Aarhus University's general data management guidelines.

History and Founding

ERDA was developed as part of Aarhus University's institutional commitment to open science and responsible research data management. A related but independent instance also exists at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH), operated by the SCIENCE HPC Center. Both systems use the same underlying software platform but are administered separately by their respective institutions.

Collections and Services

ERDA provides centralized, secure storage for private and shared files, interactive analysis tools (including Jupyter notebooks), and archival facilities for data protection and publication. The platform supports multiple access methods including web browser, SFTP, and WebDAVS, and functions as a secure network drive. A built-in file synchronization service operates similarly to Dropbox, with data stored locally at the university. ERDA also supports the publication of research data with Aarhus University DOIs, facilitating compliance with open data requirements.

Archiving Features

A key function of ERDA is the Frozen Archives feature, which allows researchers to create locked, permanent snapshots of their data. This is required for PhD dissertation submissions and for certain conference paper submissions. The platform employs RAID replication across multiple disks and makes monthly off-site snapshots to protect against data loss.

Access and Usage

All AU-affiliated employees and students can access ERDA using their standard university credentials. External collaborators may also register without an AU account. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is supported via the TOTP standard. ERDA is approved for general scientific data but is not suitable for highly sensitive personal data classified under the EU GDPR, for which a sister facility, SIF, is available.

Scope

ERDA is not specifically a journalism or media archive; it is a general-purpose research data platform for all academic disciplines at Aarhus University. Its relevance to journalism and media research lies in its availability as a repository for data generated by researchers in communication and media studies.