Advanced Research Computing – Technology Services (ARC-TS) is pleased to announce that the Yottabyte Research Cloud (YBRC) computing platform is now certified to accept data designated as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). This includes certification for YBRC and its associated services, enabling secure data analysis on Windows and Linux virtual desktops as well as secure hosting of databases and data ingestion.
For more information on CUI, see the U-M Research Ethics and Compliance CUI webpage and Sensitive Data Guide: Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). CUI regulations apply to federal non-classified information requiring security controls; an example of CUI data often used in research is data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The new capability ensures the security of CUI data through the creation of firewalled network enclaves, allowing CUI data to be analyzed safely and securely in YBRC’s flexible, robust and scalable environment. Within each network enclave, researchers have access to Windows and Linux virtual desktops that can contain any software required for their analysis pipeline.
This capability also extends to our database and ingestion services:
- Structured databases: MySQL/MariaDB, and PostgreSQL.
- Unstructured databases: Cassandra, MongoDB, InfluxDB, Grafana, and ElasticSearch.
- Data ingestion: Redis, Kafka, RabbitMQ.
- Data processing: Apache Flink, Apache Storm, Node.js and Apache NiFi.
- Other data services are available upon request.
The CUI certification extends YBRC’s existing capabilities for handling sensitive data; the service can also take HIPAA data, Export Controlled REsearch (ITAR, EAR), Personally Identifiable Information, and more. Please see Sensitive Data Guide: Yottabyte Research Cloud for more information.
YBRC is supported by U-M’s Data Science Initiative launched in 2015 and was created through a partnership between Yottabyte and ARC-TS. These tools are offered to all researchers at the University of Michigan free of charge, provided that certain usage limits are not exceeded. Large-scale users who outgrow the no-cost allotment may purchase additional YBRC resources. All interested parties should contact hpc-support@umich.edu.
