Tools and storage

Once you know the types of data you'll be working with, you can plan how to process and store the data in your project. How data can be collected and stored depends on the category.

Data must be processed in a way that provides sufficient security and protects against unauthorized access and damage. Tools must be approved by VID for the class of data you will be processing.

The table below provides a quick overview of the recommended tools for each class of data. See the relevant sections below for additional tools and important guidance on how to use these tools correctly.

See the page on Data classification for an explanation of the different categories (green, yellow, red, and black).

	🟢 Green	🟡 Yellow	🔴 Red	⚫ Black
Digital interviews	VID Zoom (no recording)	VID Zoom	VID Zoom (no recording)	N/A
Audio recording	N/A	VID audio recorder or Nettskjema-diktafon app	VID audio recorder or Nettskjema-diktafon app connected to Educloud/TSD	Nettskjema-diktafon app connected to TSD
Transcriptions	N/A	Autotekst	Autotekst	N/A
Online survey	Nettskjema	Nettskjema	Nettskjema connected to Educloud/TSD	Nettskjema connected to TSD
Storage	VID OneDrive	VID OneDrive or VID research server (Z)	VID research server (Z)	TSD

Digital interviews

	Class	Notes
VID Teams	🟡 Yellow	It is not allowed to record interviews in Microsoft Teams. If recording is necessary, you must use an external recorder borrowed from VID or the Nettskjema-diktafon mobile app. Alternatively, you can take notes during the interview.
VID Zoom	🟡 Yellow 🔴 Red	To use Zoom for research, you must familiarize yourself with and follow VID’s guidelines for using Zoom. It is not recommended to use the Zoom recording feature; instead, use an external recorder borrowed from VID or the Nettskjema-diktafon mobile app. Red data is allowed in Zoom as long as no recordings are made, only live streaming is permitted.

Class

Notes

VID Teams

🟡 Yellow

It is not allowed to record interviews in Microsoft Teams. If recording is necessary, you must use an external recorder borrowed from VID or the Nettskjema-diktafon mobile app. Alternatively, you can take notes during the interview.

VID Zoom

🟡 Yellow

🔴 Red

To use Zoom for research, you must familiarize yourself with and follow VID’s guidelines for using Zoom. It is not recommended to use the Zoom recording feature; instead, use an external recorder borrowed from VID or the Nettskjema-diktafon mobile app.

Red data is allowed in Zoom as long as no recordings are made, only live streaming is permitted.

Audio recordings

	Class	Notes
Audio recording equipment from VID library	🟡 Yellow 🔴 Red	Must be borrowed from the VID library. Contact your campus library to borrow audio recording equipment. Audio files must be moved to an approved storage area as soon as possible and deleted from the recorder.
Audio recorder on personal mobile device		You cannot record voices on a personal mobile device unless you use the Nettskjema-diktafon app.
Nettskjema-diktafon app	🟡 Yellow	With the Nettskjema-diktafon app, you can make audio recordings on your smartphone, and the recordings will be sent to Nettskjema. See UiO's guide on the Nettskjema-diktafon mobile app for more information.
Nettskjema-diktafon app connected to Educloud	🔴 Red	The Nettskjema-diktafon app can be used to collect red data if it is connected to Educloud. Read more about the requirements for using Educloud in the storage section below.
Nettskjema-diktafon app connected to TSD	🔴 Red ⚫ Black	The Nettskjema-diktafon app can be used to collect red or black data if TSD is connected. Read more about the requirements for using TSD in the storage section below.

Transcription

	Class	Notes
Autotekst	🟡 Yellow 🔴 Red	Service from UiO. Files must be uploaded from storage areas that are approved for data classification. In addition, settings should be changed in the browser to download files directly to an approved area.
Microsoft 365	🟡 Yellow	VID Microsoft account must be used, NOT private account. Transcriptions are automatically saved to your VID OneDrive. Can only transcribe 300 minutes each month.
Manual transcription	🟡 Yellow 🔴 Red	If others are to transcribe for you, an agreement must be signed. Find agreement templates on the Privacy in research page.

Class

Notes

Autotekst

🟡 Yellow

🔴 Red

Service from UiO. Files must be uploaded from storage areas that are approved for data classification. In addition, settings should be changed in the browser to download files directly to an approved area.

Microsoft 365

🟡 Yellow

VID Microsoft account must be used, NOT private account. Transcriptions are automatically saved to your VID OneDrive. Can only transcribe 300 minutes each month.

Manual transcription

🟡 Yellow

🔴 Red

If others are to transcribe for you, an agreement must be signed. Find agreement templates on the Privacy in research page.

Online survey

	Class	Notes
Nettskjema	🟢 Green 🟡 Yellow	UiO's Nettskjema can be used to conduct online surveys. For green data, follow UiO’s guide for ensuring anonymity.
Nettskjema connected to Educloud	🔴 Red	The Nettskjema-diktafon app can be used to collect red data if it is connected to Educloud. Read more about the requirements for using Educloud in the storage section below.
Nettskjema connected to TSD	🔴 Red ⚫ Black	The Nettskjema-diktafon app can be used to collect red or black data if TSD is connected. Read more about the requirements for using TSD in the storage section below.

Class

Notes

Nettskjema

🟢 Green

🟡 Yellow

UiO's Nettskjema can be used to conduct online surveys. For green data, follow UiO’s guide for ensuring anonymity.

Nettskjema connected to Educloud

🔴 Red

The Nettskjema-diktafon app can be used to collect red data if it is connected to Educloud.

Read more about the requirements for using Educloud in the storage section below.

Nettskjema connected to TSD

🔴 Red

⚫ Black

The Nettskjema-diktafon app can be used to collect red or black data if TSD is connected.

Read more about the requirements for using TSD in the storage section below.

Storage

	Class	Notes
VID-PC / locally on C:	🟢 Green 🟡 Yellow
Personal PC/Mac	🟢 Green
USB stick / external harddrive	🟢 Green
USB stick / external harddrive - encrypted	🟡 Yellow 🔴 Red
VID's research server	🟡 Yellow 🔴 Red	The research server (Z:) is only accessible to VID employees and PhD candidates. The project leader is responsible for the data stored on the research server and for managing who has access. It is not possible to grant external collaborators, students, or externally funded PhD candidates access to the research server. You can apply for access to the research server if you are involved in projects with project management outside VID. You must obtain written permission from the project leader to store your data on VID's research server. NB: The research server is only accessible from campus or via VPN. If you don't have VPN access, talk to your immediate supervisor, who will pass the request on to IT. Before applying for access to VID's research server, the project must be assessed by Sikt and, if applicable, by REK. It must also be registered as a project in Cristin. Request access to VID's research server
TSD	🔴 Red ⚫ Black	There are costs associated with using TSD (approximately NOK 25,000 per year), which must be included in the budget of each project. In addition, the use of TSD must be clarified with your immediate supervisor. More about TSD and access to the service
Personal cloud service (Dropbox, iCloud, etc.)	🟢 Green
Educloud	🔴 Red	Educloud is the recommended storage solution for master's students working with red data. Visit the Educloud page to learn more and get started. Researchers interested in using it should contact the Research Data Management Team. There is an annual cost of approximately 25,000 NOK to operate an Educloud server. Some of the faculties at VID have also invested in their own Educloud server, where multiple projects (handling special categories of personal data/red data and involving external collaborators) can be managed within the same project. This solution maintains data security through a locked folder structure. Such a solution has an annual expense of 25,000 NOK at the faculty level, but the investment must be approved by the pro-dean for research at your faculty.
VID OneDrive (Microsoft 365)	🟢 Green 🟡 Yellow 🔴 Red	Storing red data on OneDrive and in Teams/SharePoint is only allowed if the file is password protected.
Paper	🟢 Green
Paper in a locked cabinet in a locked office	🟡 Yellow 🔴 Red	It is recommended that all personal data be stored digitally. If it is necessary to have paper-based personal data, they should be kept in a locked cabinet in a locked office. If students will have paper-based personal data, storage solutions should be discussed with their supervisor.

Sending

	Class	Notes
FileSender	🟢 Green 🟡 Yellow	FileSender can be used to send large files, allowing the file to be available for a specific number of downloads or for a certain number of days before it is automatically deleted. FileSender should not be used to store files.
FileSender with encryption	🔴 Red	If files are encrypted with 7-zip, up to red data can be sent. The encryption in FileSender cannot be used.

Class

Notes

FileSender

🟢 Green

🟡 Yellow

FileSender can be used to send large files, allowing the file to be available for a specific number of downloads or for a certain number of days before it is automatically deleted. FileSender should not be used to store files.

FileSender with encryption

🔴 Red

If files are encrypted with 7-zip, up to red data can be sent. The encryption in FileSender cannot be used.