Data Storage Policy

The FCF is not responsible for data storage, whether is it self-acquired or operator-acquired. All users are strongly encouraged to transfer their data immediately after data acquisition. All data must be transferred through the Serrate network server: the use of USB keys is not permitted on any FCF computer.

  • Data more than one month old located on Serrate will be deleted by FCF staff on the first Monday of every month.
  • Data & experiments more than one month old located on the D:// drive and FACSDiva Browser will be deleted on the first and third Monday of every month.
    • Data stored in any other location on FCF computers may be deleted without warning.

Data Transfer Policy and Protocol

All data (either self-acquired or operator-acquired data) must be transferred through the Serrate network server: the use of USB keys is not permitted on any FCF computer.

Transferring data to the server

  1. At the end of your experiment, export data to D://BDExportFCFusers.
  2. Click on the WinSCP icon on the desktop.
  3. Once the software is open, you will be required to enter the following information:
    • Host: serrate.research.sickkids.ca 
    • Username: your Principal Investigator’s (PI) last name plus first name initial (dirksp for Peter Dirks; almanb for Ben Alman etc.)
    • Password: your lab login password used for the analytical cytometer computers. If you don’t know your password, please contact FCF staff.
    • Port: 22
  4. Once you are linked to the Serrate server, data can be transferred from the D: //drive (left window) to the FILES folder on the Serrate server (right window).

Transferring data from the server to your lab computer

  1. To access the server, all clients will need to download & install WinSCP (PC Windows) or FileZilla Client (Mac) software onto their lab computers.
    • If you are installing the software on a UHN computer, you will need to contact the RIS to download the software
    • If you installing the software on a UHN laptop, you will need to contact RIS to request access to Port 22 in order to connect to the server
    • RIS Helpdesk: Email helpdesk@uhnresearch.ca or Phone (416-946-2321)
  2. Once the software is open, you will be required to enter the same information as in step 3 above.
  3. Once you are linked to the Serrate server, data can be transferred from the Serrate server (right window) to your computer (left window).
  4. After transferring the data to your computer you must delete this data from the network. Failure to do so may prevent new data from being transferred to the network (due to storage size restrictions).
    • Data more than one month old will be deleted by FCF staff on the first Monday of every month.
  5. The Serrate server can only be accessed through institutional computers, not from home, due to firewall protection. If you are unable connect to the server please contact Sherry for assistance.