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Nextcloud - Frequently Asked Questions

What is Nextcloud?

The Nextcloud research data cloud is part of the IREI infrastructure core (Icelandic e-Research Infrastructure), operated by the IT Services division of the University of Iceland (UTs). The service is specifically designed for storing and sharing research data — for example, raw sequencing data and other large datasets generated in scientific projects.

How does Nextcloud work?

Nextcloud works in many ways like OneDrive, Google Drive, and similar services, but also does much more. The system is designed by and for universities and other research institutions, with their specific needs in mind: handling large data volumes, a strong emphasis on data security, shared team workspaces, data sharing in scientific collaboration, direct integration with the IREI HPC environment, and more.

Who can get access?

The research data cloud and other IREI services are available to researchers at Icelandic universities and publicly funded research institutions. Researchers at independent research institutes may also gain access, provided their research is funded by public grants.

How do I get access?

A formal application for access and storage space must be submitted at https://www.irei.is/#/applications. Students can apply through their supervisor or project lead. The application should include information about the project, the expected project duration, and where relevant, what software and systems are needed to complete the project.

How much storage space is available, and what does it cost?

Each user has a personal home area in Nextcloud with a standard storage allocation. Shared workspaces set up for groups or teams have their own dedicated storage quota, determined based on the scope of the project and agreed in consultation with IREI. At present, there is no separate charge for storage in Nextcloud or in the IREI HPC storage environment.

Is the data hosted in Iceland?

Yes. All IREI services run directly on UTs-owned hardware, and data is stored in UTs data centres in Iceland, located at Saga and at the Icelandic Meteorological Office. By comparison, OneDrive (for individuals) and Teams/SharePoint (for groups), along with other services in Menntaský (Iceland Education Cloud), are hosted in Microsoft data centres abroad in Ireland. Those services are therefore not suitable when data must remain in Iceland and/or when very large datasets are involved.

What about data security certification?

Data security at UTs, and by extension in the IREI research data cloud, is built on the ÍST ISO/IEC 27001 standard for information security management systems, which ensures the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data. HÍ/UTs holds formal certification under this standard. Regular security audits are carried out, and the Information Security Officer publishes an annual report on the implementation of the security policy.

Is the data encrypted in Nextcloud?

All data sent to or retrieved from the IREI research data cloud is encrypted in transit. Data is not, however, encrypted at rest (i.e. on disk). Strong emphasis is placed on access control and adherence to the ISO/IEC 27001 standard to ensure data security. If your project has stricter requirements — for example, regarding encryption at all levels (at-rest encryption) — please contact IREI directly.

Who is responsible for the data?

As the operator, UTs is responsible for ensuring that unauthorised parties cannot access the data, and implements appropriate technical and organisational safeguards to this end. UTs is also obliged to report any security breaches to the Icelandic Data Protection Authority (Persónuvernd).

Those who deposit data are responsible for it in all other respects — for example, ensuring that the necessary permissions are in place, such as approval from the Science Ethics Committee (Vísindasiðanefnd) where sensitive personal data is involved.

How do I get help with using Nextcloud?

For general enquiries, contact the HÍ Service Desk, which will forward requests to the IREI team at UTs. For technical enquiries or requests related to a specific project, contact IREI directly: