Requesting data

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Check if data is already available

This might seem obvious but we often get request for data that is already available at NCI. Not all the data is well described or easy to find and we will always double check once you email us with a request before downloading. Still it saves a lot of yours and our time if you look for the data you want first through the available documentation. See theData Access page on this wiki for suggestions on how to do that.

It is also worth pointing out that we do not download anymore CMIP and ERA5 data, these are managed by NCI and so requests have to go to them. Both this wiki and documentation on NCI confluence website will have information on how to do that.

Detailing your request

The more detailed is your request, the faster we can tell you if we can download the data for you and, in case the answer is positive, the actual data download. Wherever possiible try to include:

• the actual dataset official name and/or acronym, avoid alternative or obsolete names
• the url of the official metadata record for the dataset
• the url for the data portal from which the data is available for download, or for a set of instructions, if it is not directly available.
• if more than one version/format is available for the same data  be specific about the version/format you need
• if a different version/format for the same data is already available at NCI, please detail why this version/format is not suitable
• the variables, frequency, and any other relavnt information (i.e. experiments, models, where this is a collection of datasets) of the subset you need
• an estimate of the data subset size

 

Mail CWS helpdesk

Once you have worked the details of your request you need to contact the CWS helpdesk cws_help{at}nci.org.au. You are more likely to receive a quick answer and it helps us keep a track of your request.

 

What happens next

First, we will check if the data is already available. If we confirm it is not already available at NCI we will:

• asses the storage and work involved in donwloading the data based on the information you sent:
  • if we don't have enough information we will contact you and ask to clarify your request until we can asses it
  • if the data requires a substantial amount of work and/or storage we have to contact the Infrastructure Committee to request permission to proceed. The Committee will decide if the data is worth the effort and resources necessary.
• If any other case we will get back to you with a timeframe and a location for the data
• We usually store new data in the ua8 project, unless there is a dedicated project for the dataset already available.