RADAR variants

While RADAR Cloud does not require any technical infrastructure on the part of the using institutions, the variants RADAR Hybrid and RADAR Local allow to integrate own IT resources into RADAR!

With all three variants, the institution using them is responsible for managing the RADAR work environment, uploading data, organizing research data and describing them by metadata, and for curating the datasets.

Branding options allow you to adapt the RADAR repository of each variant to your corporate design. Via the RADAR API you can integrate the repository into existing applications and workflows or operate it with an alternative user interface.

All three variants are using the same RADAR software. The software is continuously enhanced in line with user requirements and in close consultation with the community and the RADAR user advisory board. Institutions using any RADAR variant can participate in the advisory board!

Each variant is subject to a different service agreement including a transparent pricing model. Other aspects such as liability and data privacy also differ according to the chosen variants.

We will be happy to support you in finding the appropriate RADAR solution for your institution!

RADAR Cloud, a "software as a service" solution, offers you an entire research data repository hosted on a secure, privacy-compliant cloud platform in Germany.  You neither need a technical infrastructure nor any technical skills to use RADAR Cloud. This means that RADAR Cloud is the appropriate repository solution for your institution if you need a generic “all in one“ service from a single source.

FIZ Karlsruhe operates an instance of the RADAR software for RADAR Cloud at Scientific Computing Center (SCC) of Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT) and provides both temporary storage for organizing research data and permanent storage for archived and published research data.  Three copies of the datasets are permanently stored at different locations in the SCC and at Zentrum für Informationsdienste und Hochleistungsrechnen (ZIH) of TU Dresden, Germany.

RADAR Cloud is subject to a service agreement between your institution and FIZ Karlsruhe. Billing is done annually and includes a basic fee and a volume-based fee component.

RADAR Hybrid combines the proven RADAR repository with storage systems made available by your institution for permanent storage of your research data.

While RADAR Cloud is intended for institutions that do not have an infrastructure of their own for archiving and publishing research data and therefore would like to use software and storage solutions from one source via Internet, RADAR Hybrid is aimed at institutions that use the cloud-based RADAR software to manage their research data, but want to permanently store them in an alternative archive of their own.

This archive can be made available either by your institution or by an external storage service. Hard disk or tape systems can be used for this purpose. The storage systems will be connected to RADAR Hybrid via an SFTP interface.

RADAR Hybrid is subject to a service agreement between your institution and FIZ Karlsruhe. Billing is done annually, and a flat rate is charged. Since there are no volume-based storage or publication costs, the costs for your institution are fixed.

RADAR Hybrid is suited for your institution if you

• have already invested into storage capacity of your own,
• prefer copies of data stored on local systems so that you can directly control research data,
• need copies of data stored on local systems in order to comply with in-house regulations,
• want to avoid volume-based costs because you expect high usage and large data volumes in the medium to long term,
• already have concluded a contract with an external storage service (e.g., bwDataArchive).

Since parts of RADAR Hybrid run on systems for which FIZ Karlsruhe is responsible, and other parts on systems provided by your institution, some responsibilities may differ from those of RADAR Cloud. Please see the RADAR Hybrid service agreement for details.

With RADAR Local, FIZ Karlsruhe operates the proven RADAR software on the local systems of your institution. You provide the necessary IT infrastructure and storage systems, FIZ Karlsruhe operates and maintains the repository software in your runtime environment.  You can design the RADAR Local start page according to your individual needs and offer the service under a web address of your choice.

RADAR Local is subject to a service agreement between your institution and FIZ Karlsruhe. Since there are no volume-based storage or publication costs, the costs for your institution are fixed. The offer can also be used by institutions outside Germany.

RADAR Local is suited for your institution if you

• would like to provide researchers at your institution with an individual research data repository under a local domain, with an own homepage in your corporate design and with individual texts,
• would like to provide access to only your institution’s data publications in order to present your institution’s research output in a transparent way,
• would like to use sophisticated  repository software without having to provide personnel for its maintenance and further development,
• prefer copies of data stored on a local systems in order to have direct control of research data and to comply with in-house regulations,
• would like to archive personal or particularly confidential research data,
• would like to avoid volume-based costs because you expect high usage and large data volumes in the medium to long term.

To operate RADAR Local, your institution will provide FIZ Karlsruhe with the following IT resources:

• Two (virtual) devices with appropriate dimensions incl. operating system. Access by FIZ Karlsruhe is usually done via SSH tunnel or through a Virtual Private Network.
• Temporary storage for organizing research data. Both hard disks and Flash memory can be used as storage media.
• Permanent storage for archived and published research data. Hard disk or tape systems can be used.

FIZ Karlsruhe, in turn

• ensures the operability of the RADAR software on the (virtual) devices made available by you,
• provides for the connection of the system to the institution’s storage systems on RADAR software level,
• maintains the RADAR software,
• installs new versions and updates of the RADAR software on your instance of RADAR Local in consultation with you.

More information on the technical requirements on the part of your institution and on the necessary administrative and textual preparatory work can be found in this checklist (PDF, in German language only).

Since RADAR Local is run by FIZ Karlsruhe entirely on your own systems and on your behalf, some responsibilities may differ from those of RADAR Cloud and RADAR Hybrid. Please see the RADAR Local service agreement for details.

Here you can find a comparison of the RADAR variants for download (PDF, in German language only).