A new project is testing the use of an ORION service to support off-site data storage for Ontario research and academic institutions.

Queen's University, York University, the Ontario College of Art & Design and Sheridan College are currently involved in the test, which is looking at offering a dedicated data storage and backup service over ORION.

"This is one of our new value-added services," says ORION Technology Innovation Leader, Blair Brenot, who has been developing the service in consultation with potential user institutions. "It makes a lot sense for member institutions to leverage their investment in the ultra high-speed ORION network. The ORION Storage Service is a cost-effective automated backup solution that includes the transport of data."

The amount of data being created, shared and stored at postsecondary institutions is growing exponentially, driven by increasing dependence on digital documentation and multi-media files for learning and research in all disciplines.

Data storage has become a significant issue for many research and education institutions, which now typically have to accommodate data sets and storage requirements approaching multiple terabytes.

"IT managers are under pressure to support more strategic deployment of available resources, and core IT activities such as data storage account for an increasingly disproportionate share of these scarce resources," says Brenot.

Access to a shared service also introduces a green information technology solution, by reducing an institution's need to maintain costly and less efficient storage facilities.

An earlier study, commissioned by 16 Ontario universities, recommended that Ontario colleges and universities collaborate to develop a shared service model to achieve efficiencies in information technology. Specifically, it suggested that significant efficiencies could be realized by establishing a common secure online data storage service utilizing ORION's existing network.

Such services are consistent with a growing trend across North America and around the world. Other Research and Education networks are offering similar services. MERIT Network of Michigan offers an on-demand data storage service, as does Wisconsin Net (WiscNet) and the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN).

ORION will partner with both public and private technology providers to deliver the service to member institutions.

ORION plans to offer the service to Ontario colleges, universities and research facilities, including cultural agencies and school boards, when it launches the new service later this year.

Learn more about the new data storage pilot and other upcoming ORION services during a breakout session at the ORION Summit 2010 on April 13 at MaRS: www.orion.on.ca/summit2010.