RADAR4KIT is an interdisciplinary research data repository for the archiving and publication of research data from scientific studies and projects conducted by KIT researchers. In RADAR4KIT, research data refers to digital data generated during the research process.

RADAR4KIT generally stores research data in the form of datasets, which may consist of one or more files. These contain the actual research data as well as descriptive metadata. In the following, such a collection is referred to as a “data package.”

RADAR4KIT is provided by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (“Operator”) and is based on the RADAR service offered by FIZ Karlsruhe. Data is stored exclusively on KIT’s IT infrastructure at the Scientific Computing Center ( SCC ). The service is primarily intended for KIT researchers (“Data Providers”) who wish to archive or publish their data. In RADAR4KIT, data can be made available to third parties (“Data Users”) or published on the Internet.

RADAR4KIT is an online service and can be used exclusively via the Internet. All KIT researchers can log in to RADAR4KIT using their KIT account (Shibboleth). In addition, in special cases, additional accounts may be created for non-KIT members.

To upload research data, a workspace must first be set up by the KIT Library (administrator). Please contact the KIT Library directly for this (see the footer below for contact information).

The administrator can then set up separate workspaces for different user groups (e.g., research groups, projects, institutes). The administrator can then grant additional users registered with RADAR4KIT the rights to act as data contributors for one or more of these workspaces (“curator” or “sub-curator”) via the online service. Typically, the administrator will designate employees from their own institution as curators; however, if necessary, they may also grant appropriate permissions to individuals from outside the institution. In RADAR4KIT, curators may only upload, edit, archive, and, if applicable, publish research data within the workspaces designated for them by the administrator. Curators designated by the administrator can, in turn, grant permissions to other users registered with RADAR4KIT to serve as sub-curators for their workspace. Sub-curators are also data contributors but do not have the ability to archive or publish data packages or to designate other users as sub-curators.

RADAR4KIT can be accessed via a web-based user interface using modern web browsers or via a REST-based application programming interface (API). Within their assigned workspace, data providers can create data packages and assign individual files or ZIP files containing multiple files to them, which they then transfer to RADAR4KIT via the Internet. Through the user interface or the REST API, they can add or delete individual data items.

Data packages can also be created using WebDAV. To do this, the data can be uploaded and organized via a WebDAV client. No active RADAR4KIT session is required during this process. After importing the WebDAV directory into RADAR4KIT, changes can only be made directly within RADAR4KIT.

The data provider can annotate data packages with metadata. The service provides a form on the RADAR4KIT platform for this purpose. Alternatively, it is possible to create the metadata offline as an XML file and then upload it to the RADAR4KIT platform. Data providers can download the latest version of a template for the corresponding XML file, as well as an XML schema for validating the metadata, via the RADAR4KIT platform. The curator also has the option to set default values for descriptive metadata for specific work areas. These defaults are then suggested to data providers when they create the descriptive metadata.

Once the compilation of a data package and its description with metadata is complete, the curator can choose between two options: archiving or publishing the research data. Sub-curators can trigger an automatic email to curators to inform them of the request for publication or archiving.

Archiving allows for the optional description of the data package using descriptive metadata. Typically, neither the data nor the metadata is made publicly available; however, the curator can change this independently by assigning appropriate permissions via the online system. In this case, the data does not receive a persistent identifier. The curator must specify the desired retention period.

To publish a data package, a valid description in the form of descriptive metadata and the granting of a license by the data provider are required. In principle, metadata and data are publicly searchable and accessible. The curator may optionally set an embargo period for the data, during which only the metadata is publicly searchable and accessible. Once the embargo period has expired, the data automatically becomes publicly accessible as well. RADAR4KIT assigns a Persistent Identifier (in this case: Digital Object Identifier, or DOI for short) to each published data package and registers it with DataCite. Through this DOI, the published data package is permanently identifiable, citable, and can be linked to a conventional scientific publication, e.g., on KITopen. At the same time, the descriptive metadata is transmitted to DataCite. To do this, the data provider must license the data under Creative Commons Zero (CC0) 1.0 Universal. During the transfer, the descriptive metadata is automatically converted from the RADAR format to the DataCite format. Furthermore, the descriptive metadata is made publicly available for harvesting in both RADAR and Dublin Core formats via an OAI provider.

For published and archived data packages, a license must be selected from a predefined list of recommended licenses. The list includes all Creative Commons 4.0 International licenses (including CC0 1.0 Universal), an “All rights reserved” license, and the option to specify a proprietary license. The operator reserves the right to add further licenses to the list.

The operator provides so-called temporary storage for the compilation and description of data packages. If the total available temporary storage is full, authorized data providers cannot add any further data until files have been deleted, data packages have been archived or published, or the temporary storage has been expanded. Upon archiving or publication, the data packages are moved from temporary storage to permanent storage. These data packages no longer occupy any space in temporary storage. RADAR4KIT imposes a time limit on the use of temporary storage. The maximum retention period for temporary storage is checked on a per-data-package basis. Data packages may remain in temporary storage for a maximum of six months. After that, they must be either archived, published, or deleted. One month before the end of the storage period, RADAR4KIT sends an email to the data provider notifying them of the impending end of the storage period. RADAR4KIT then sends a weekly email reminder noting the approaching end of the storage period. If, after six months, the data package has not been deleted, archived, or published by the data provider, RADAR4KIT deletes the data package.

In RADAR4KIT, the maximum usable size of temporary storage, as well as the permanent storage used for archived and published data packages, is limited. The storage quotas available per employee for each category are specified in the standard IT configuration.

RADAR4KIT enables the permanent and unaltered retention of data packages over a defined period of time (“retention period”). For archived data packages, the data provider specifies a retention period. The actual duration of storage for archived data packages may be shorter if the RADAR4KIT service is discontinued before the retention period expires. No retention period needs to be selected for published data packages; in principle, it is unlimited. KIT guarantees an actual retention period of at least 10 years for archived data. For published data, actual retention for at least 25 years is guaranteed. During the retention period, RADAR4KIT no longer modifies the stored data packages but ensures only their physical preservation (“bitstream preservation”). Accordingly, RADAR4KIT guarantees neither the long-term usability nor the interpretability of the data contained in a data package, as these depend on the availability of the data formats chosen by the data provider and the corresponding software required for their interpretation.

RADAR4KIT supports a review process prior to data publication. To this end, a data package can be set to the “under review” status before publication. In this state, the data package can no longer be edited. RADAR4KIT generates a unique link that the data provider can forward to the relevant publisher or reviewers. This link allows access to the unpublished data package without prior authentication. Once the review is complete, the curator can either return the data package to edit mode or publish it. In either case, the unique link generated becomes invalid, so reviewers can no longer access the data package. The data provider may set a data package to the “Under Review” status multiple times in succession. The operator does not perform any further content-related quality assurance on the uploaded research data. The data providers themselves are responsible for this.

Data in temporary storage is located on magnetic disks that are protected against data loss due to individual disk failures via a RAID6 array. In addition, the stored data is written incrementally to tape once a day as a backup. The backup is performed at the file level and is retained in two generations.

Archived and published data packages are stored on magnetic tapes in so-called tape libraries. RADAR4KIT stores all data packages that are moved to permanent storage in two copies on different tapes at two geographically separate locations. Storage takes place at the Scientific Computing Center ( SCC ) of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology ( KIT ) at two locations. Before storage, data packets are assigned a checksum, which is automatically verified after each copying operation. This allows errors during data transmission to be detected and corrected (“end-to-end verification”). When a data packet is accessed, the checksum is recalculated and compared with the stored value to identify any data consistency errors. In the rare event that an error is detected during this process, RADAR4KIT accesses the second copy of the data packet. Regular checks of the copies for potential bit errors (“fixity checks”) are not currently performed. The SCC keeps its storage infrastructures up to date with the latest technology. As a result, all data is migrated to new storage media every five to eight years. A check for bit errors is performed during every read operation and, at the latest, as part of this data migration.

The data packages intended for archiving or publication are converted, prior to transfer to permanent storage, into a structure compliant with the BagIt specification, which—in addition to the actual research data in their originalarrangement—including all files and directories—as well as technical and descriptive metadata and a manifest that complies with the specification. The BagIt structure is consolidated into a TAR file and stored as an Archive Information Package (AIS) in accordance with the OAIS standard.

Access to the temporary storage is synchronous, meaning that delivery of the requested data begins without any noticeable delay. Access to the permanent tape storage is asynchronous, meaning that in some cases several minutes may elapse between the request and delivery. During periods of high traffic, the wait time may, in exceptional cases, be in the range of hours. Frequently accessed data packets are delivered quickly (i.e., synchronously) via a cache on a regular basis, even if they are already stored in permanent storage. We cannot guarantee rapid delivery from permanent storage.

Data packages that have not yet been archived or published—that is, those still in the processing stage—are visible only to the data providers and administrators. An exception is made for reviewers for the purpose of peer review (see the section “Peer Review of Research Data”). A curator can, at any time within their own workspace, grant other users registered with RADAR4KIT the right to act as data providers (sub-curators). The authorization to act as a curator can only be granted by an administrator.

Archived data packages are normally accessible only to data providers and administrators. The data provider may grant other users registered with RADAR4KIT the right to view the descriptive metadata and retrieve the archived data packages. The curator can modify these permissions at any time. If desired, a data provider may alternatively archive a dataset as “public,” making it freely available on the RADAR4KIT portal.

Archived data (unless the curator has made it fully or partially publicly accessible) cannot be found via the search function or via OAI. Third parties cannot view or search either the data or the metadata. Data packages archived as “public” are not available for harvesting and cannot be viewed at www.datacite.org. However, the descriptive metadata is searchable within the user interface.

Published data packages can be accessed by all registered and anonymous (unregistered) data users on RADAR4KIT. The descriptive metadata is searchable within the user interface and is also made available for harvesting via an OAI provider. Furthermore, they are publicly accessible at www.datacite.org. This also applies even if the actual research data are still under embargo. The curator can set a time-limited or unlimited embargo period for the actual research data, during which only the metadata is searchable and accessible, but not the research data itself. Once the embargo period has expired, the research data becomes publicly accessible. The selected embargo periods can also be changed—that is, extended or shortened—by the data provider even after publication.

RADAR4KIT is an online service for archiving and publishing research data from completed scientific studies and projects. As a data provider, you can use RADAR4KIT to compile research data into data packages, describe them with metadata, store them permanently, and make them publicly accessible or archive them. The service is operated by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). RADAR4KIT is based on the RADAR service provided by FIZ Karlsruhe. Data is stored exclusively on KIT’s IT infrastructure at the Scientific Computing Center (SCC ).

License

1. Based on the license you select, you grant KIT non-exclusive rights to use the research data you upload for the purposes of RADAR4KIT, without any temporal or geographical restrictions. This does not affect your rights to the data.
2. You must license the metadata you submit under a Creative Commons (CC0) license, thereby making it freely available to the general public.
3. You indemnify KIT against any claims by third parties that such third parties may assert against KIT based on legal violations committed by you.

Usage Instructions

1. KIT grants you access to RADAR4KIT. To this end, you have been assigned the role of data provider.
2. This entitles you to upload research data to RADAR4KIT.
3. You are personally responsible for the accuracy of the research data you upload.
4. You are currently not permitted to upload personal research data to RADAR4KIT. You must anonymize such data before uploading it.
5. When archiving or publishing a data package, you grant a license that governs the rights of use for potential future reuse. RADAR4KIT offers various suitable license terms for this purpose.
6. KIT does not charge you any fees for using RADAR4KIT.
7. It is essential that you review the RADAR4KIT service description, which outlines the functionality, features, and purpose of RADAR4KIT, the responsibilities of the involved parties (operator, customers, data providers), and the corresponding role descriptions. KIT implements the technical and organizational measures mentioned in the service description to store your data securely and reliably.
8. KIT uses your personal data exclusively for the provision of the service in accordance with Art. 6(1)(a) and (f) of the GDPR for the purposes of user identification and to contact you in connection with the provision of the service (consent, protection of legitimate interests, in particular the functionality of the service). Please also refer to KIT’s privacy policy and the ICT Regulations.
9. RADAR4KIT may only be used for the archiving and publication of research data.
10. You may not upload any illegal content—e.g., content that glorifies violence, incites hatred, or is defamatory—to RADAR4KIT.
11. If KIT becomes aware of legal violations in connection with a data package, it may block access to that data package and, if necessary, delete it without consulting you. Furthermore, KIT reserves the right to block your access to RADAR4KIT if you use RADAR4KIT in a manner contrary to these Terms of Use.

RADAR4KIT is an Internet-based service for the archiving and publication of research data from completed scientific studies and projects for KIT researchers. The service is operated by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). RADAR4KIT is based on the RADAR service provided by FIZ Karlsruhe. Data is stored exclusively on KIT’s IT infrastructure at the Scientific Computing Center ( SCC ).

Content evaluation and quality assurance are conducted exclusively by the data providers.

1. The scope of the user agreement between you (“data user”) and KIT is limited to the download of data packages or metadata. KIT reserves the right to restrict the use of RADAR4KIT or to discontinue the service entirely.
2. If you register as a data user or authenticate via Shibboleth, the data provider may grant you access to unpublished documents as well.
3. The protection of your personal data is governed by the privacy policy.
4. KIT assumes no warranty or liability for the accuracy, timeliness, or reliability of the content provided, except in cases of mandatory statutory liability.
5. KIT does not charge you, as a data user, any fees for conducting research in RADAR4KIT or for downloading data packages.
6. You must comply with the license terms associated with the data package.

Yes, the service is free for KIT members.

To upload research data, a workspace (for KIT institutes, research groups, or project teams) must first be set up by the KIT Library. Please contact our team directly for this.

Within the workspace, you will be assigned curator or sub-curator rights. Sub-curator rights can also be granted to individuals who are not affiliated with KIT.

To log in, you need a valid KIT employee account or another institutional account. Alternatively, you can register a RADAR user account.

RADAR4KIT enables the permanent and unaltered preservation of data packages over a defined period of time (“retention period”). For archived data, the curator can choose between a retention period of 5, 10, or 15 years. The actual duration of storage for archived data packages may be shorter if the RADAR4KIT service is discontinued before the retention period expires. KIT guarantees actual storage of at least 10 years for archived data.

Published data is, in principle, retained indefinitely. For published data, an actual retention period of at least 25 years is guaranteed.

After successfully logging in, you will see the workspace(s) for which you have curator or subcurator rights. To upload data, select the “Create Data Package” button on the right-hand side of the workspace.

If you do not see a workspace after logging in, either no workspace has been set up yet, or you have not yet been assigned curator or subcurator rights. Please contact us.

In addition to the upload function in the web browser, data can also be uploaded via WebDAV or the RADAR API. These two options are particularly suitable for uploading large amounts of data.

See also the FAQ entry “What options are available for uploading data?”

What options are available for uploading data?

1. Via the RADAR4KIT user interface in a web browser: This is the standard upload method, recommended for data sizes up to a maximum of 50 GB.
2. Via WebDAV: For flexible data uploads, including individual files and entire directories. Recommended for large amounts of data. Detailed instructions can be found on the RADAR Support pages under the Quickstart Guides.
3. Via the RADAR API: For automated data uploads; recommended for large files or a very large number of files. Access via the API is set up upon request.
4. GitLab/GitHub Import: For projects based on continuous software development or where data is generated and administered using software. For more information, visit the RADAR Support pages.

The limit set by the archive system is a maximum of 600 GB per dataset. However, to facilitate reuse, it is advisable not to exceed a file size of 50 to 100 GB per dataset.

Very large data sets can be split into multiple data sets and linked together. A DOI is generated for each data set. If you have a large number of files, they can be grouped logically, e.g., into ZIP files or other archive formats.

For very large datasets, we recommend uploading via the RADAR API or WebDAV.

Yes, data can also be uploaded automatically via the RADAR API. A registered RADAR user account is required to set up access. Only one API access should be used per RADAR4KIT workspace. Please contact us if you are interested.

Yes. You can decide for yourself whether your data should be published or simply archived. If the data is archived, it is accessible only to members of the respective RADAR4KIT workgroup—unless the data is archived as “public,” in which case the data package is available without restriction on the RADAR4KIT portal.

No, unfortunately that is not possible at this time. You must re-upload and republish the data.

No, unfortunately not at this time. You must create a new data package with a new DOI and can link the two data packages together. It’s a good idea to include a note in the title, such as “(New Version / Version 2).” We plan to enable versioning functionality in one of our upcoming software releases.

Yes, in the “Content” tab, you can selectively download individual files or entire directories from a published or archived data package.

Yes. After logging in to KITopen data recording & Publication, you will find a corresponding import button on the “My KITopen” page in the “KITopen RDM” panel.