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Commercial Cloud Storage Supported by UC Business Associate Agreements (BAA)
These commercial cloud providers offer affordable data storage solutions, in particular long-term (cold and archival), and these are often recommended as options for storing secondary copies of data. Those interested in getting started with cloud services should contact research-it@ucsd.edu in order to take advantage of benefits to users under UC San Diego's Consolidated Billing Program.
If commercial cloud storage is a solution under consideration, these tips may be useful:
- Be cautious, as data egress (downloading) can be costly and minimum storage durations apply to infrequently accessed data, which may result in additional charges.
- Schedule regular deposits of archival data to reduce the volume of active storage and provide the assurance that data is in a durable and secure environment.
- Consider using automated workflows to move data between storage classes. This can significantly reduce costs.
- The service offerings of cloud providers can be challenging - contact research-it@ucsd.edu for additional guidance and advice.
Example: Cost Savings Between Storage Classes
An illustration of potential cost saving variances between active and cold storage tiers might look as follows:
Amount of Data | Description | Minimum Storage Duration | Retrieval Time | Cost per Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5TB | Standard: Active data | None | -- | $117 |
| 5TB | Infrequently accessed data | 30 days | -- | $64 |
| 5TB | Very infrequently accessed data | 90 days | Minutes to hours | $20 |
| 5TB | Archival data | 180 days | 12 hours | $6 |
Note: Rates above are shared only as an example and should not be relied upon for accuracy.
Calculating Costs in the Cloud
Please use these calculators to help determine current, actual costs with these service providers.
- Amazon Web Services Pricing Calculator
- Google Cloud Platform Pricing Calculator
- Microsoft Azure Calculator
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