If you need to transfer large amounts of data (typically greater than 50 GB) to SCINet storage but are constrained by slow networking speeds, you can ship external drives (not thumb drives) containing your data to the VRSC in Ames, Iowa. The VRSC will then upload your data directly to SCINet storage and put it in a project directory that you specify.
If you’d like to transfer data to SCINet storage by shipping external drives, please follow these instructions:
- Submit an email request to the VRSC scinet_vrsc@usda.gov for a data transfer with the following information:
- Amount of data.
- Target project directory.
- Type of file system the data are coming from (Windows, Mac, or Linux).
If you don’t already have a project directory, please request one first: Request Project Storage.
The VRSC will review your request and reply with further instructions.
- Upon approval by VRSC, copy the data onto a SATA hard drive or solid-state drive (SSD).
- You will be responsible for purchasing your own drive(s).
- Any type of external drive (not a USB thumb drive) is fine, but SSDs will be more tolerant of handling by the postal system.
- Drives must be formatted as EXT4, NTFS, HFS, XFS, or FAT.
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Ship the disk to the address provided by the VRSC and email the tracking information to the VRSC by replying to the email confirming approval of your request. Include a print out of your email containing the data transfer request to the VRSC in your package.
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Once we receive the data, we will copy it over to the appropriate project directory and notify you once the transfer is complete.
- Please include a prepaid return shipping label so that we can send the drive(s) back to you after the data transfer is complete. Otherwise, the drive(s) will not be returned.