Costs
I am working with RAP for the first time and find it hard to estimate how expensive my data analysis and storage will ultimately be. I know that it depends on the amount of data, analysis and storage and cannot be calculated exactly in advance. But can someone tell me at least roughly how much I can expect to pay if I want to calculate a cross-sectional analysis (4 cohorts of a total of 335.000 participants; 14 variables/tiles) with the phenotype data? Will the 40 pounds that I get credited at the beginning be enough, or should I expect significantly higher costs?
Thank you for any help.
Kind regards, Romy
Comments
2 comments
tldr: I think you will need more, and should apply for credits.
I am not an expert in RAP costs, and my answer is based mostly on watching my own initial 40 pounds being used up.
If you are using any of the genetic data, I am fairly sure you will need more. If you are using any other bulk data such as the images or the raw accelerometry data I think you will need more.
If those 14 variables are all simple single-value tabular data, I am guessing you could get quite a lot of analysis done for 40 pounds. If the UKB data is only a small part of your overall project, you might find the 40 pounds is sufficient. However, I don't expect you could produce high-quality research results within 40 pounds worth of work. If you are only using tabular data, you will be able to watch how the funds are going down, and add more if and when you see the need.
There are two important issues to be aware of if you want to manage costs:
1. Make sure you have thoroughly understood all the videos and documentation about how to use the RAP, as it is too easy to spend time and money making mistakes.
2. If you choose to use RStudio in the RAP, be very careful never to leave it running when you log off, as it continues to cost money.
There are additional funding credits available for early-career researchers or researchers from Lower Income Countries, and I suggest you apply for them. See https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/enable-your-research/research-analysis-platform/the-uk-biobank-platform-credits-programme and https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/enable-your-research/research-analysis-platform/uk-biobank-credits-programme-frequently-asked-questions . This is in addition to the 40 pounds initial credit that every researcher receives. If you think you might need the funding credits, and if you think you are eligible, then it is a good idea to apply early, as the process takes time.
Thank you very much for your help, Rachael!
Please sign in to leave a comment.