bwDataArchive users can be divided into three groups:

1. Researchers from universities in Baden-Württemberg
2. Researchers from institutions that KIT provides storage to
3. Institutions that want to store scientific data at KIT

Users in group 1 and 2 can only register once the instution they are affiliated with signs a usage agreement for bwDataArchive with KIT. Institutions in group 3 are provided a KIT service account upon request once the contract is signed which they can use to register.

I am entitled to use bwDataArchive. How do I register?

Registration for bwDataArchive is done via a registration page. The registration process differs in some points between the user groups:

1. Researchers from universities in Baden-Württemberg

Registration for researchers from universities in Baden-Württemberg is done via the platform bwIDM using the user account of the home organization. bwIDM checks if a user account has been assigned the entitlement for using the bwDataArchive service. Providing the entitlement is a prerequisite for registration in bwDataArchive and has to be assigned by the home organization. Ask your local IT department how you can get your account entitled for bwDataArchive.

bwIDM reports the successful entitlement check and some information about the user to our registration page. The user can review this information prior to transmission. The information is used to prefill the registration form and the prefilled form fields cannot be edited by the user.

Upon completion of the registration we internally recheck if a user is entitled to use the service. The creation of your personal storage space can therefore take a few days.

2. Researchers from institutions that KIT provides storage to

Registration for users who cannot register via bwIDM differs somewhat compared to the procedure described above. The user cannot initiate the registration by visiting our registration page, he has to be invited by a local adminstrator. Inquire at your local IT department who has been named as your local bwDataArchive administrator and which rules apply for being granted an invitation. Once the admin triggers the invitation from our user management portal, you receive an invitation email containing a personalized registration link (double-opt-in) to our registration page, at which point the registration procedure continues identical to group 1. The email also contains a link where you can decline the invitation. In this case, all data already provided about you is erased from our user database.

The registration link expires after some time. If you would still like to register or want to complete the registration process after the link expiration time please contact us to reactivate your registration link. Provide your username if possible. Please do not reply to the invitation email, instead contact us using our support form.

3. Institutions that want to store scientific data at KIT

Institutions from Baden-Württemberg that want to store research or cultural data as well as institutions that wish to use their own frontend application to manage their users permissions for data storage can also use bwDataArchive on a per organization basis. Those institutions are provided KIT service accounts upon signing a usage agreement with KIT which they can use to register via bwIDM similar to the users in group 1. Organisations connected to bwIDM may also choose to use a local service account for this purpose.