Specify Cloud Hosting
Database
Collection databases within each institution may be organized in different ways relative to each other. Research and planning are required to decide on an institutional database configuration, and SCC staff will advise on the differences between various options. Institutions may choose to combine data from multiple collections into a single Specify database, where they can share some data elements. Or they may choose to isolate the data of individual collections into discrete databases with no data sharing between them. Institutional requirements and preferences inform such decisions and affect pricing, data reuse and standardization, data backup regimes, user roles and permissions, and more.
SCC members choose whether to host databases in the SCC Cloud service, or on local servers. The Specify Cloud hosting service includes automatic updates of Specify and constituent software, daily database backup, and 24/7 server status monitoring.
As specified in the Specify Consortium Member Agreement, SCC has no legal interest in members’ data and abides by any member restrictions on our access for technical support purposes.
SCC will provide full, root, access to the Buyer databases for Buyer member staff.
Specify Cloud uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host databases.
The Buyer cost for Specify Cloud database hosting will depend on the number of independent Specify databases needed. (A single database may include data from one or more collections.) SCC currently charges $275 USD/year/database with a $300 one-time setup fee. We project cloud hosting costs will increase over the next five years due to expected increases in hosting provider (AWS) pricing. Including estimated average annual increases in AWS pricing, SCC annual database hosting fees would be as shown.
Membership Year |
Fee per year per database |
|---|---|
FY2025 |
$275 USD |
FY2026 |
$300 USD |
FY2027 |
$325 USD |
YFY2028 |
$350 USD |
FY2029 |
$375 USD |
Total per database |
$1625 USD |
*Numbers beyond Year 1 are estimates
For a nominal cost, the SCC can set up “sandbox” Specify database instances for member staff to test migrations, updates, and to practice workflows before opening user access to a production database.
Digital Assets
Members may choose Specify Cloud to host their digital assets (files linked to database records), or if they would prefer to host them themselves. Even if a member chooses Specify Cloud hosting for their database, they may self-host collection-linked digital assets.
Amazon’s Simple Storage Service (S3) Standard is used for asset hosting and the S3 Glacier Deep Archive is employed for asset backups. AWS pricing varies widely based on usage, including adding, listing, viewing, querying, and downloading assets. With very large quantities of data, SCC is unable to provide definitive quote for the cost per year without information about asset usage levels and desired backup strategy. Our cost structure for asset hosting is to pass-through actual AWS S3 charges adding 7.5% for Specify management and maintenance.