Service summary
Etsin enables you to find research datasets from all fields of science. Etsin contains information about the datasets and metadata in the national Finnish Fairdata services.
Etsin is an open source product. Its source code is available at GitHub.
Detailed description
Etsin can be seen as a Front End of the Fairdata Reasearch Data Warehouse Service, Metax. Using Etsin user can search datasets that are stored in Metax and see the detailed information of the searched datasets. Event though the metadata of the dataset is always visible to everyone, depending on the access type that the dataset’s owner has set for the dataset the data itself can be either freely downloaded or it might require the user to be logged in Etsin. It’s also possible that the datset’s owner has decided that the data can only be seen, not downloaded at all.
Datasets can be created via Qvain Metadata Tool or with Metax End User API. In order to use those services user needs to be registered as a CSC customer and have a CSC account (registration can be done in CSC Customer Portal (SUI)).
Etsin also harvests information from different sources, and new sources are added as a part of continuous Service Development.
Whenever a dataset is created it gets a permanent identifier (URN or DOI). Using the permanent identifier ensures that the source data can be located, as it will always resolve to the landing page of the same version of the used dataset.
Target audience
Etsin is primarily developed for researchers but the service is open for everyone at etsin.fairdata.fi. Anyone can search for datasets and the published metadata on the dataset is open for everyone to see. The data owner decides how the underlying research data can be accessed and by whom.
How to obtain the service
Etsin can be accessed in etsin.fairdata.fi. Use of Etsin is free and anyone can use it to search datasets but some of the functionality is only available for registered users (members of Finnish universities and research organizations with CSC account).
User support
Etsin is generally available for use 24/7.
Maintenance and support are however provided during the service hours only.
Maintenance and repair operations take place during the service hours. The service hours are business days from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m.
Contact point
- User guidance and general questions about the Service and its use
- Contact point if the Service is not available or malfunction
CSC Service Desk
- Operating hours (https://www.csc.fi/en/contact-info)
- Phone +358 (0) 94 57 2821
- E-Mail: servicedesk@csc.fi
Clients’s responsibilities
User agrees on General Terms of Use for CSC’s Services for Research.
All users must practice due diligence regarding their user credentials. They must immediately report to the service provider, if they observe, suspect, or anticipate a data security breach.
Service provider’s responsibilities
The service provider is responsible for providing the service to users at the agreed service level. The producer is responsible for providing support in the agreed manner.
The service provider shall notify the participating organizations and individual users of any [data breach]
PAS- and Fairdata Services Provacy Policy (in Finnish).
Service producer
CSC – IT CENTER FOR SCIENCE LTD
Service offered by
The Ministry of Education and Culture
Document version and owner
- 1.0 10.7.2019