From Siloed Systems to Shared Success: The Problem with Doing It All Yourself
Part of the blog series on Collaborative Research IT Infrastructure
In our first post, we discussed the challenges universities face with fragmented IT systems and the need for unified solutions. Here, we explore the specific issues that arise when research teams independently manage their IT infrastructure.
Research IT infrastructure often develops in response to immediate needs, resulting in uncoordinated solutions across departments. This patchwork approach limits interoperability and visibility, isolating teams and stifling collaboration opportunities.
Researchers excel in their fields, but managing IT demands specialized knowledge. Critical tasks like ensuring security, applying updates, and maintaining backups are often overlooked. This leads to vulnerabilities, data loss, and project delays that research teams are ill-equipped to address.
Modern research generates data at an unprecedented scale. Storage solutions patched together to meet short-term needs often become too expensive, insecure, or simply inadequate as projects grow. These limitations are particularly evident when researchers need to share data with collaborators. Consider a scenario where a researcher has collected a large dataset on a personal server but needs to provide access to an external collaborator. Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) may require that the data remain on a university-approved system. However, the server’s setup lacks the robust infrastructure to facilitate secure sharing, such as proper user management or a dedicated interface for external access.
To overcome these limitations, the researcher might use built-in services to expose their data over the internet. While convenient, such solutions often bypass institutional IT controls and lack the comprehensive security measures necessary for protecting sensitive research data. From an IT perspective, this approach introduces risks: the server operates as an isolated node with unknown management practices, limited auditing capabilities, and no integration into the broader university security ecosystem. Additionally, if the server is connected to the university’s local network, any vulnerabilities could potentially extend beyond the server to the institution’s wider infrastructure.
Alternatively, the researcher might attempt to migrate their dataset to an approved system within the university, only to face challenges such as delays in provisioning, insufficient computational resources, or incompatible tools. These barriers can slow research progress and, in some cases, discourage collaboration altogether.
The risks of managing IT infrastructure without institutional support become even more pronounced when researchers receive confidential data from collaborators under MTAs. These agreements often include strict provisions to safeguard sensitive research data, with severe legal and reputational consequences for non-compliance. If a researcher stores such data on a makeshift server with inadequate security controls, the liability extends beyond the research group to the entire department or university.
In the event of a breach—whether due to outdated software, weak access controls, or insufficient monitoring—the fallout can be catastrophic. Confidential data leakage not only jeopardizes the integrity of the research but also exposes the institution to potential lawsuits, loss of trust, and damage to its reputation. Furthermore, responding to a breach requires significant resources, from forensic investigations to notifying affected parties and implementing remediation measures, all of which could have been avoided with a more secure and compliant infrastructure.
Students and early-career researchers often shoulder the burden of IT management. While this can foster technical skill development, it frequently distracts from their primary academic goals. As these systems grow in complexity, maintaining them consumes valuable time that could be spent on research. Moreover, when these individuals leave, institutional knowledge is often lost, perpetuating inefficiencies.
Isolated IT systems hinder collaboration and drive costs up due to duplicated efforts. Shared IT infrastructure allows universities to pool resources, reduce expenses, and enhance capacity. Institutions with robust, scalable IT systems are better positioned to secure funding and partnerships, enabling them to tackle complex challenges and remain competitive.
Managing IT independently may seem like a quick way to move ahead, but it often leads to inefficiency, security vulnerabilities, and reduced productivity. All of these hinder collaboration and jeopardize the integrity of the research environment.
Looking Ahead: Toward a Smarter Solution
Shifting to shared, collaborative IT infrastructure offers a sustainable path forward. Consolidating resources can reduce costs, improve security, and provide scalability. More importantly, it improves data management, data sharing, and creates a foundation for advanced tools like machine learning and large-scale data analysis. A well-managed infrastructure empowers researchers to focus on advancing knowledge while fostering collaboration and innovation.
Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll explore these benefits in detail.
Written by Lucas Alcantara
Featured picture generated by Pixlr
