Provision of a Research Storage Platform for the long-term retention of Research Data

The University is looking to procure a research storage platform to support a wide range of research activities and the long-term retention of research data. Many of the University's academic colleges are keen to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies and the storage platform will provide critical capabilities to support all AI/ML initiatives.

The University is required to retain research related data for periods of 20 years and greater and it is important to be able to access data via modern and legacy methods. Use of the research storage platform will include all new requirements and the consolidation of existing NAS storage devices (QNAP/Synology).

The current model of distributed NAS storage arrays carries a management overhead and the University is looking to reduce this by providing a centrally managed service.We are seeking a modern API driven webscale storage platform, split across the University's three campus data centres, with the option of utilising cloud storage services for the tiering of data as it is generated, analysed and archived and additionally replicated for use with cloud-based applications and for business continuity purposes. (The storage connectivity does not form part of this tender).

The University requires this platform to deliver significant gains in terms of modern IT capabilities, infrastructure agility, integration with public cloud storage services, performance, scale, automated provisioning, and reduced management overhead. In order to deliver immediate benefit to the University we are seeking professional services to migrate the existing 2.5 Petabytes (2.5PB) of distributed NAS based research data to the new central research storage platform.