DataStage is a secure personalized 'local' file management environment for use at the research group level, appearing as a mapped drive on the end-user's computer.
This allows users to save files to the cloud simply by clicking "save" in Excel or another application. It provides additional Web access and DropBox integration and is configurable to have private, shared, collaborative, public and communal directories with easy-to-configure access controls. It is secured by means of automated daily backup, and has the flexibility of dynamically invoking additional cloud storage as need dictates.

DataStage can be deployed on a local server, or on an institutional or commercial cloud.  Once the software has been installed on the server, there is no additional software for the end-user to install.

Users save files to DataStage just as they would on ordinary C: drive -- but with added extras:
*Private, shared and collaborative directories, with password-controlled access
*Web access – work with stored files over the web, anywhere in the world
*Users can add richer metadata via the web interface, using free-text "notes" fields
*All files can be automatically backed up via your usual backup service
*Users can invite colleagues to access group files, via password control
*Repository submission interface makes it easy for researchers to define data packages, enter minimal metadata, and deposit them in a repository of choice.  The minimal metadata is in RDF format; additional (non-RDF) metadata can be added via free-text fields at the submission stage
*Packaging is done using BagIt file packaging specification
*SWORD-2 compliant
*Flexibility to dynamically invoke additional cloud storage as required