JOSUA & Statsdirect.org
JOSUA is a modern and flexible suite of software and technologies for secure remote computing against any data. Statsdirect.org is a secure remote desktop environment for working with sensitive research data.
Data providers
Open your data to researchers worldwide using the most appropriate methods. Maximize its research value while ensuring security.
Researchers
Conduct research with sensitive data from anywhere, without the need to travel.
Learn how JOSUA and STATSDIRECT can support your publication requirements.
Open Data Securely
Enable access to sensitive research data in a user-friendly, secure, and GDPR-compliant environment when other access options are not feasible.
JOSUA is a web application which allows researchers to upload research code to be run under a controlled environment and view publishable research results.
The code goes to the data
The researcher never leaves their home or office
The data never leave their premises
Scalability and Performance
Statsdirect.org:
Interact and experiment with the data
Statsdirect.org is a secure remote desktop environment for working with sensitive research data.
In contrast to JOSUA, it allows researchers to work interactively within a controlled infrastructure, while preventing unauthorized data exports. All exports are subject to review by authorized entities to ensure compliance with data protection regulations and the data providers’ terms of use.
PILS principle: access on the basis of
Person, Institution, Legal conditions, and Scientific project
Researchers can view the data
on the screen
Export/import gateway:
GDPR compliance
JOSUA and Statsdirect.org support a wide range of well-known statistical software packages for modern empirical research.
MATLAB
Stata
- Project/Job overview for researchers and custodians
- Choose by project/user whether to start compute jobs automatically or manually
- Active directory support
- Easy user and project management
- Easy management of compute resources
- Choose by project/user whether to release output results automatically or manually
- Input filters
- Output filters
- Manual and automatic filtering
- Email notifications for researchers and data custodians
- Write your own filters in a programming language of your choice
- GDPR-compliant
- Push-button replications for respositories
As a data provider, you know the stakes are high. Your data are sensitive and valuable, and they must remain secure while being open for research.
You can review incoming code before it runs on your data and check output results before they are released for publication. As you become familiar with what is allowed and what is not, you can define rules (filters) for inbound jobs (e.g., to block certain code or commands) and outbound results (e.g., to ensure compliance with privacy regulations), reducing the need for manual review.
You can implement these filters using the programming language of your choice.
Some questions we got frequently from researchers and data providers regarding JOSUA.
From data providers
How can I control input and output according to our privacy policy?
Filter settings can be designed individually for each platform. The most restrictive setting is a manual check of all syntax inputs and result outputs. Automatic rules for incoming syntax and outputs can also be defined for command combinations, impermissible commands or numbers.
Can I trace all activities of a user?
All input and generated outputs are stored and logged with a time stamp in a comprehensible manner for every user and project on an individual level, regardless of whether the respective inquiry is successful or not.
From researchers
Can I add external aggregate data?
Yes. You can merge external variables on an aggregated level (districts, geocodes etc.). But, an upload of aggregated data with JOSUA is not intended and must pass inspection and approval first.
How can I use external command libraries, e.g. Stata-Ado, additional R packages etc.?
External-libraries are available both during on-site visit and in remote data access from an offline repository in JOSUA and must be installed manually. Only if external command libraries are not part of the repository, they can be uploaded via JOSUA and are then available for remote data processing as well as for on-site visits.
Can’t find the answer you need?
We can help you improve the access to your data.
Contact us, and we will get back to you as soon as possible with a solution to whatever issues you are having with JOSUA or Statsdirect.org.
