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Overview
UW-IT offers several research storage options to support the data lifecycle - from active analysis to long-term archiving. These services are designed for flexibility, performance, and data durability, and they integrate with the University of Washington's High-Speed Research Network and compute resources like Hyak. This article provides an overview of three main UW-IT storage services - /gscratch, Kopah, and Lolo. All three services are on-premises and have no data egress or access fees.
/gscratch - Hyak Parallel File System
Best for: High-speed data access during active compute jobs
Access: Available to Hyak users only
Tier: Hot storage
Features:
- Fast, low-latency storage directly attached to Hyak compute nodes
- Ideal for temporary or scratch space during compute jobs
- Infiniband connectivity for parallel I/O and HPC workloads
- 80 Gbps aggregate uplink for external collaboration
- Use standard Linux tools (e.g., scp, rsync)
Pricing:
1 TB included with every slice purchased
Learn more about Hyak
Pricing and Eligibility
Kopah - S3-Compatible Object Storage
Best for: Flexible, scalable storage with multiple plan options
Access: Available to any UW-affiliated research group
Tier: Warm storage
Features:
- Numerous S3 tools and libraries
- Public and private buckets for collaboration and access control
- 80 Gbps aggregate uplink to Internet2 and other collaborators
- POSIX interface also available
- Complements /gscratch for groups transitioning from cloud services like Google Drive
Pricing:
- $2.60 - $5.04 per TB per month, depending on storage plan
Learn more about Kopah
Pricing and Eligibility
Lolo - Long-Term Archival Storage
Best for: Safekeeping of research data for months to years
Access: Available to any UW-affiliated research group
Tier: Cold storage
Features:
- Tape-based archive service with automated geographic redundancy
- Files cached on disk and backed up to two tape copies (Seattle & Spokane)
- Simple restore by browsing and accessing archived files
- Compatible with SSH-based tools (scp, rsync)
- 3-2-1 backup strategy compliance when paired with /gscratch
Pricing:
Learn more about Lolo Pricing and Eligibility
Data Transfer and Integration
- All services are connected via UW's High-Speed Research Network with up to 100 Gbps throughput.
- Tools like bbcp, GridFTP, and rsync support fast data movement
- Easy transfers between Hyak, Kopah, and Lolo
- Globus has endpoints on Hyak and Kopah. With features like automated transfers, fault tolerance, and a simple web interface, it's a powerful tool for streamlining data movement in research workflows.
Hyak Data Transfer Guide
Best Practices: 3-2-1 Data Protection Strategy
We encourage researchers to follow the 3-2-1 backup strategy:
- 3 copies of your data
- 2 different storage types (e.g., disk + tape)
- 1 copy stored off-site
If you use both /gscratch and archive to Lolo, you're already meeting this standard:
- One copy on Hyak's /gscratch (disk-based)
- Two tape-based copies on Lolo, stored in Seattle and Eastern Washington
- Kopah also provides an additional copy of data
Note: Lolo and Kopah archiving is not automatic - you must initiate the copy process yourself.
Additional Resources
Hyak Storage Overview
Kopah S3 Object Storage
Hyak Data Transfer