The government proposes increasing funding to Sigma2 by NOK 20.2 million in the revised national budget. This initiative responds to the need for increased capacity to store and secure research data and time series in Norway.
There is significant concern within the research sector about the security of storing research data abroad, notably in the USA. Such data must be relocated to Norway to ensure better control and security. This requires enhanced storage capacity at the national system, NIRD (Norwegian Infrastructure for Research Data), owned by Sigma2.
NIRD, Norway's largest research data storage system, is situated 60 metres underground, 700 metres inside a mountain at Lefdal Mine Data Centers in Western Norway. It is a vital part of Norway's efforts to protect and secure research data. The government now proposes increasing funding by NOK 20.2 million to expand capacity and ensure the preservation of valuable scientific data.
— NIRD is designed to be flexible and scalable, making it well-suited to handle large volumes of data as well as hundreds of millions of files and datasets. We are pleased to offer increased capacity and contribute to supporting both the Norwegian and international research community, says Lorand Szentannai, Service Owner for Data and Storage Services at Sigma2.
— We are very pleased with the increased funding, which enables us to secure critical research data, particularly in the climate field. Sigma2 is well-equipped to undertake this vital societal mission, and we look forward to strengthening the national infrastructure for the safe storage of scientific data, says Stein Inge Knarbakk, Senior Project Manager at Sigma2.