The Secure Data Enclave (SDE) and Restricted Data | California Center for Population Research

CCPR’s Secure Data Enclave (SDE) provides a secured environment with which to store and work on restricted data. The SDE accomodates most data sources. CCPR SDE currently houses data for both Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (LAFANS), Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and the Adolescent Health Study (Add Health).

Access to restricted data typically requires a rigorous project-specific approval process from the data collection agency, often extending over many months. Thus, researchers are well advised to begin the approval process 3 to 6 months before the anticipated date of beginning analysis.

The UCLA Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Primary Data Caretaker (PDC) must approve access to the data. CCPR can facilitate the data request process and submission of necessary forms.

The SDE is set up primarily as a resource for CCPR Faculty and Student Affiliates. However, with CCPR Director approval, and contingent on the availability of space, the SDE may be used by other members of the UCLA community. Of course, such use is subject to the same conditions as for CCPR Affiliates, including IRB and PDC approval. To request SDE access, please send to the CCPR Director (by clicking here) a project description, an indication of the kind of use of the SDE required, specifics about plans to obtain the necessary approvals, and a biosketch of the PI requesting access. Upon approval, the user will be given a description of the SDE to use as necessary in the project data protection plan for the data collection agency, the IRB, and the PDC. CCPR staff can advise on what should be included in the data protection plan.

Data Protection Plan Language

CCPR SDE Description (closed loop network – off Internet)
CCPR Hosted Secure Data Server (secured remote server – on Internet)

Using the Secure Data Enclave

The SDE is available to authorized users 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We provide multiple secure terminals within the SDE to accomodate simultaneous users of the facility. All physical entry and computer access is logged and audited. Upon approval to use the SDE, a user will be provided with the following:
-Omnilock Door Code
-SDE Windows Domain Account
-Short SDE facility tutorial

We provide the following software packages to SDE users:
-Microsoft Office Suite/Acrobat/7-Zip
-Stata SE
-SAS
-ArcGIS

Restricted Data Contracts

For more information or assistance, please contact:

UCLA Social Science Data Archive for IRB assistance.
Matt Lahmann for system security issues.
CCPR Administration for data acquisition issues.

Acquisition Recommendation

To recommend a research dataset for acquisition or purchase by CCPR, please fill out and submit the Dataset Acquisition Recommendation and Proposal Form.