French Oceanographers Safeguard Data

In the vast expanse of the world’s oceans, French oceanographers at Ifremer (Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer) have been diligently collecting and analyzing data for over 40 years. Their research spans from studying marine ecosystems to monitoring climate change, generating hundreds of terabytes of invaluable information. Protecting this data is paramount, not only to preserve scientific integrity but also to comply with stringent data protection regulations.

The Data Protection Challenge

Managing such vast amounts of data presents several challenges:

• Multisite Operations: With research stations across the globe, centralizing backups becomes complex.

• Large Data Volumes: Handling hundreds of terabytes requires efficient storage solutions.

• Numerous Small Files: Indexing millions of small files can strain performance.

• Self-Service Restores: Researchers need the autonomy to restore data without IT intervention.

Béatrice le Berre, a member of the Tina team at Ifremer, emphasizes the importance of safeguarding their “intellectual heritage.” She notes, “Ifremer has the challenge of data sovereignty. We are partisans of the principle of open data in science, but at the same time, we have to be aware of espionage and attempts to take critical data.” This sentiment underscores the delicate balance between open scientific collaboration and the need for robust data protection.

Dont let data threats slow you downTrueNAS offers enterprise-level protection.

Atempo’s Role in Data Protection

To address these challenges, Ifremer turned to Atempo’s backup software, Tina. The solution offers several key features:

• Multisite Support: Tina’s architecture allows for seamless backup operations across Ifremer’s global research stations.

• Efficient Data Handling: The software’s design efficiently manages large data volumes, ensuring quick backups and restores.

• Performance Optimization: Advanced indexing techniques enable rapid access to numerous small files.

• User Autonomy: Researchers can perform self-service restores, reducing dependency on the IT department.

Jérôme Le Letty, also from the Tina team, highlights the temporal navigation feature: “Being able to navigate temporally was another key factor in the adoption of the solution. That allows us to visualize the state of a disk in the Tina UI and view its deleted files, maybe in error, and recover them, and that’s essential.” This capability ensures that even if data is accidentally deleted, it can be restored promptly.

Ensuring Compliance with Data Protection Regulations

Beyond operational efficiency, Atempo’s solutions align with data protection regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). GDPR mandates that organizations manage data privacy and protection meticulously. Atempo’s software offers:

• Centralized Management: A clear, centralized management console for physical and virtual machines protected on-site and off-site.

• Data Retention Management: Automatic data retention management and fully automated data recycling.

• Backup Catalog Management: Always knowing what has been backed up, where the data is located, and who has access rights.

• Data Encryption: Ensuring that data is always transferred fully encrypted to the target storage, making it impossible to exploit personal data without the decryption keys and full authorization.

These features not only streamline data management but also fortify compliance with GDPR, ensuring that Ifremer’s data remains secure and accessible only to authorized personnel.

Looking Ahead

As Ifremer continues its research endeavors, the partnership with Atempo remains pivotal. The plan is to back up virtual servers to Tina, further enhancing data protection. Additionally, Ifremer aims to create a digital replica of the oceans on the Datarmor supercomputer, which is undergoing a significant update. This initiative underscores the commitment to advancing marine research while maintaining stringent data protection standards.

In the ever-evolving landscape of data management, Atempo’s solutions provide a reliable and efficient means for organizations like Ifremer to safeguard their critical data assets. By addressing the unique challenges of large-scale data operations and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations, Atempo plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity and accessibility of scientific research data.