Your [Science login](https://cncz.science.ru.nl/en/howto/storage/) provides you with 5 of GB quota in your home directory. (Note: You can always check how much of your quota you are using with the `quota -s` command). This is usually not enough for research purposes, so as a TCM member you have access to several other options for storing your data.
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## TCM Volumes
There are several volumes mounted at `/vol/tcm*` that are available to TCM members. There are three types of volumes:
-`tcmXX`: about 200 GB, backed up regularly.
-`tcmscratchXX`: 2T, not backed up.
-`tcmarchiveXX`: 2T, backed up once a year.
### Get `tcmXX` volume
Each `tcmXX` volume is usually assigned to a particular TCM member. If you don't have "your" volume and need one, you can take one yourself:
- Choose an empty volume (can be found with the `df -h /vol/tcm??` command).
- Put a README file on it with something like: `<current_date>: this volume belongs to <Your Name> <your email>`.
- Create the folder `<firstname>_<lastname>`.
Now you can work in this folder. (It can be useful to make a symlink to your home directory, e.g. `ln -s /vol/tcmXX/firstname_lastname /home/username/storage`.)
If any part of this fails (for example, there are no empty volumes, or you don't know how to create a README file), ask [Ilya Schurov](https://www.ru.nl/tcm/about-us/postdocs/dr-schurov/) for help.
### `tcmscratchXX` volumes
You can use a `tcmscratchXX` volume if you need to store a lot of data during your calculations. Note that these volumes are not backed up at all. So the recommended way to use them is to do the calculations on `tcmscratchXX`, then copy all important resulting data to your `tcmXX` volume and delete unimportant intermediate data.
### `tcmarchiveXX` Volumes and Annual Purge
These volumes are used for long-term archiving purposes: once a year (around New Year's) their contents are backed up to tapes, and the tapes are securely stored in a special vault at Gringotts. Prior to this backup, we ask all users to move the results of their completed projects there. This allows us to make sure that there is enough free space in the `tcmXX` volumes for new projects and new people. During the cleanup, you will create a folder `<year>_<your_name>` in the active `tcmarchive` volume and put everything there. (Don't worry, we will remind you about the cleanup when the time comes, and give you all the necessary instructions.)
