University of Edinburgh Streamlined Research Data Service Feasibility Study

The Research Data Service at the University of Edinburgh supports researchers through two complementary repository platforms: DataShare, an open-access research data repository using DSpace, and DataVault, a home-grown, restricted-access, long-term retention solution for large or sensitive datasets. While both are built on open-source software, maintaining two separate systems has prompted questions about sustainability, cost, resilience, and development capacity. We have completed a project which examined existing infrastructure, risks such as single points of failure, and alternative systems, drawing on institutional documentation, community frameworks (including COAR and FAIR-aligned criteria), and a structured MoSCoW requirements analysis. This led to the question of whether the two platforms could be combined into a single, modern, community-supported research data repository platform. We will outline the rationale for building prototypes of DataVerse and InvenioRDM, focusing on their ability to meet our requirements and fit within our institutional infrastructure.