1. Introduction
1.1 What is SURFdrive?
SURFdrive is a personal cloud storage service for Dutch education and research, with which you can easily store, synchronize and share files. You do this in the safe and reliable SURF community cloud. This document will provide a service description of SURF Research Drive.
1.2 Background
A secure alternative to commercial cloud storage services is now available to users in Dutch education and research. SURF offers the SURFdrive service, which we developed together with and at the request of the universities. With SURFdrive you can easily synchronize files and share them with other users. Safe within a community cloud and with a large storage space. With SURFdrive, SURF complies with European privacy legislation. For example, SURFdrive has terms of use that guarantee safe use, whereby you remain the owner of your own data. The data is securely stored in the Netherlands and is never provided to third parties. In addition, SURF does not provide any user data to third parties.
2. Services
2.1 Overview
SURFdrive has two environments.
- The data storage service: https://surfdrive.surf.nl/
- The management portal for registered users: https://beheer.surfdrive.nl/
2.2 Functionality
- sync offline; you always have your files
- share files easily and securely within education and research
- share documents with guest users
- real-time insight into changes made to documents by others
- optimization for use with smartphone and/or tablet
- backup & recovery of 30 days
- availability of 99.5%
2.3 General Support Window:
At working days from 9 am to 5 pm.
2.4 Getting Access to SURFdrive
Institutions in education and research purchase the SURFdrive service and manage user access themselves. Do you also want access to SURFdrive? Please contact your institutional helpdesk. Has your institution given you access? Now you can easily log in to SURFdrive via SURFconext. You now have access to your data with your own institutional account. SURFdrive is accessible from all common computers, tablets and smartphones based on Windows, Linux, OS X, iOS and Android.
3. Support and Helpdesk
3.1 The SURF Helpdesk
Our support can be contacted through our Servicedesk. This helpdesk is manned during office hours (from 09:00 until 17:00). You will receive a response within two hours.
3.2 Support
The first line of support is the help desk of your own institution. You cannot contact SURF or the makers of the SURFdrive software directly. SURF was set up to develop services such as SURFdrive for institutions. We do not have a helpdesk for questions from end users. Contact the ICT helpdesk of your own institution; they know everything about the SURFdrive implementation and user management.
4. Maintenance
We carry out regular maintenance on SURFdrive on Tuesday evenings between 6:00 pm and 12:00 am. We don't do that every week. You will hear about planned maintenance 1 week in advance. We need more time for major maintenance; we do this during the weekend. You will hear the announcement well in time! Keep up to date with Maintenance Read about planned maintenance via Twitter and SURFdrive.nl. This way you know when you are temporarily unable to use the service. You can also subscribe to our mailing list.
5. Roadmap
SURFdrive is a service which is undergoing continuous development. Improving the service is an ongoing activity. We would very much like to involve you in this process. If you have ideas about functionality that you miss and would like to have then we really value your in put. We may contact you and ask for such information. Visit our Feature Request page how to let us know what you are missing within SURFdrive.
Of course the development we do for SURFdrive is subject to constraints related to available resources, finances and priorities.
6. Quality
6.1 Privacy, Security and GDPR
The SURFdrive service provides you guarantees and transparency regarding ownership, confidentiality, and availability of your data. SURF Research Drive aims to be fully compliant with the “Juridisch Normenkader Cloud Services Hoger Onderwijs” and GDPR. SURF can enter into a Data Processing Agreement (verwerkersovereenkomst) with an institution, such agreement is required under GDPR when an organisation shares personal data with SURF.
The SURFdrive service will be subject to yearly security audits. These audits will not only consider the security aspects of the service but also compliance with ISO27001 and the “Juridisch Normenkader Cloud Services Hoger Onderwijs”.
6.2 Service Management
SURF is implementing FitSM. FitSM is an ITIL-based standards family aimed at enabling effective IT service management in the broadest range of organizations operating in federation.
6.3 Client satisfaction
Surveys are conducted on a frequent basis to assess user/client satisfaction. This includes regular service reviews with key stakeholders in the community.
6.4 Backups
SURFdrive has a back-up policy of 30 days. This means that folders and files are stored for 30 days after deleting.
6.4 Encryption
The data at rest in SURFdrive is always encrypted on the server. Data in transit transported to or from SURFdrive is also encrypted.