Virtual Microdata Laboratory User Guide
Contents
1. Output ER ee E m archiving of all transfers gt The diagram above illustrates the basic structure of the VML It should be noted that only VML staff can transfer data in and out of the VML Users have read only access to the data sets and read write abilities in the work areas VML staff provide a limited query driven response service to users 3 Security 3 1 Clearance procedures to access the VML To protect the confidentiality of the data access 1s strictly controlled and only researchers covered by a secondment contract can access the Lab All potential users must complete the VML training course 1 2 hours This 1s provided to give knowledge of expected working procedures If adhered to 1t will speed up the release of research outputs Users will be allocated a risk assessment score by the VML This will determine whether users will be granted access to the VML and how strict the output clearance procedures will be Users risk score primarily depends on the following factors e Credibility of research background e Evidence of trustworthiness e g previous experience of VML number of formal warnings previous breaches etc e Possibility for conflict of interest 3 2 Security Procedures within the VML Inside the Lab it 1s not possible to access the printer floppy disk CD ROM Internet or the rest of the ONS network Paper is allowed to be used to make notes when in the VML but researchers must take care to2. backed with less than 10 units will not be cleared Local unit analysis e g BSD must show that cells are also backed up by at least 3 enterprise groups e Dominance rule the sum of all but the largest two units must be greater than 10 of the largest unit e Primary disclosure no maximum or minimum values are to be included unless they can be shown to be uninformative Graphical output must include the frequencies which underpin each data point e Secondary disclosure can occur from differencing across tables and subtracting from totals and zero values in cells Researchers should consider whether it is appropriate to transform tabulated data to ensure that it s non disclosive There are not rules to cover every eventuality in the Lab If you have questions regarding your output please contact a member of the VML team 6 2 Structure of Outputs The VML team will only clear files for disclosure if users files are made up of clean output For example we do not want to see files which contain the construction of variables tables and regressions that went wrong and then had to be re done later errors within Stata logs etc If researchers do not present their output in a clean format it will be returned to them and changes must be made before it will be cleared An excessive quantity of outputs will result in a rejection of output clearance It 1s the researchers responsibility to provide the VML team with an appropriate length
3. 1997 on a specific subset of the data and Researcher B asks ONS for the same regression they must be given the results under Freedom of Information and the National Statistics Code of Practice This is why the results are ONS copyright It is of course unlikely that someone not involved in a project would ask for exactly the same results but not impossible For example a paper published in a journal may have a statement like other analyses showed similar results and ONS may be asked for these by an interested reader In the first instance ONS would normally ask the interested researcher to get in touch with the author as one aim of the VML is to develop an effective research community 6 5 Timescale for clearance Researchers should expect VML staff to take up to 5 working days to clear their output and should plan accordingly Although the VML team will try to clear output quickly it is not realistic to expect a quick turn around time from the VML staff on all occasions The VML team will not re arrange their work schedule to speed up clearance so that researchers can present output at conferences etc It is in users interests to take into account UK public holidays when planning their work schedule Users should always email vml ons gov uk for clearance requests not just individual team members It may be appropriate to cc individual team members if they have cleared previous versions of the output but ensure that the VML
4. History Mail Print Edit Address ES http Icitrix Citrix Mm etaFramexP default login asp ClientD etection 0n Links gt Welcome Please log in To log in to MetaFrame XP enter the credentials required and then click Log In If you do not know your login information please contact your help desk or system administrator MetaFrame XP Message Center The MetaFrame XP Message Center displays any informational or error messages that may occur z K Done E Localintranet Astar A E 9 W Microsoft Word Dooumenti amp MetaFrame XP Login LORO 1621 e Once you have entered your username and password you will be directed to the research desktop window See below 4 Research Desktop Citrix ICA Client x A My Computer ae ss W E iil u Microsoft SPSS 10 1 for Word Windows Acrobat Wi en Reader 5 0 ee q dr El El a lata Stata exe Passwor Hi UltraE dit 32 eq windows Explorer London A Start start A ES 9 EY Microsoft Word amp Research Desktop Gm 15 37 e If you are experiencing problems while using the VML or forget your password etc please contact the VML administrator on 72 5844 e If you require additional information about the data sets please email vml ons gov uk 9 2 File management and best practice While using the VML please bear in mind that it is a shared resource If you claim excessive
5. ML The following software packages are available for use within the VML Microsoft Excel Microsoft Word Microsoft PowerPoint Stata 9 SPSS 12 SAS Gauss 5 SuperCROSS StatTransfer 7 WinZip Acrobat Reader ArcCatalogue ArcMap e ArcReader There are some specialist Stata programme files ado stored in the VML They can be found in the documentation drive X code ado If you require a particular new specialist Stata programme please download 1t and email the ado file as an attachment to vml ons gov uk we will then place it in the VML documentation drive for your use Specialist software requirements are dealt with by request It may not be possible to provide other software due to licensing agreements and costs of provision 5 VML use 5 1 Logging in to the VML Researchers will be issued a username and password from the VML team to allow access to the VML The following outlines the steps that should be taken to log in e From a PC launch internet explorer and type http Icitrix this will bring up the CITRIX web interface e From a Thin Ternimal switch on the terminal and the log in screen will appear automatically The screen will appear as below Always ensure that the Domain is set to London no matter which site you are accessing the VML from 3 MetaFrame XP Login Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by Office for National Statistics 3 9f AJA a 349 6 9 y Back Fonverd Stop Refresh Home Search Favorites
6. Virtual Microdata Laboratory User Guide 1 Introduction This document aims to set out an overview of the Virtual Microdata Laboratory VML and highlight some key features of best practice for users The VML is a secure environment for research access to microdata which is managed by the VML team within the Office for National Statistics ONS The use of anonymised but potentially disclosive survey returns requires a strict adherence to legal and technical procedures Failure to follow proper working practice may result in the removal of access for researchers and sanctions for their parent organisation This document is intended as a guide for users It aims to highlight the following e The locations where the VML can be accessed and how to book a time slot e Security procedures necessary to obtain access and security procedures which are in place while work is conducted in the VML e The structure of the VML how to place files in the laboratory and what software is available for research analysis e How to use the VML logging in and best practice within the laboratory e Disclosure control how research output should be constructed timescales for output clearance and Intermediate vs Final Disclosure clearance 2 Accessing the Laboratory 2 1 Locations The VML can be accessed from the following locations Southport Titchfield 1 Drummond Cardiff Road Smedley Hydro Segensworth Road Gate Newport Trafalgar Road Titc
7. amounts of memory to run your programmes and or keep multiple copies of the same data sets the server will run more slowly and 1t will take longer to complete your work This problem is compounded the more people do it and is analogous to the tragedy of the commons theory We recommend that researchers abide by the following guidelines e Only claim memory sufficient to run programmes e Be careful when merging appending files they may become very large e Drop irrelevant variables where ever possible use the keep and collapse options to leave only essential data e Delete unwanted files and any copies at the end of your daily sessions e Compress data files if you are not returning to the VML in the near future e g use WinZip e Ask the BDL team to run large production jobs overnight This will be a much more efficient use of your time and will stop the VML slowing down for other users e Save your work regularly while working in the VML On rare occasions the VML has experienced severe technical difficulties 6 Disclosure Control Before researchers work can leave the VML it must go through disclosure control by the VML team to ensure that output does not contain any confidential data or that confidential information could be calculated through inference 6 1 Rules for disclosure control The following is a summary of the disclosure control rules as taught in the training course e Threshold rule cells
8. controls that have been put in place However it is not possible to make the VML 100 safe The VML team places an emphasis on trusting 1ts approved researchers the Lab has therefore been designed to operate within a safe projects safe settings safe people safe outputs framework Breaches of trust will set in motion security review procedures and disciplinary actions 4 Structure of the Laboratory 4 1 The Directories If users require files in addition to the data sets available in the VML e g for data linking fusion these should be emailed to the VML team who will then place the files in one of the directories If additional files contain confidential data users should speak to the VML team about the possibility of setting up a separate version of the VML for restricted access Users may also consider setting up passwords on their Excel spreadsheets Output files can only be removed from the VML by VML staff When research has been completed it must go through the disclosure control procedures outlined in section 6 and the training course 4 2 Overview of the datasets An overview of the data sets contained in the VML 1s available in a separate word document entitled VML Data Sets It aims to highlight the latest data available and any associated documentation that is available for potential users This can be requested from the VML team and may be useful for the writing of application forms 4 3 Software available within the V
9. email address is the main point of contact This will ensure that your response is dealt with when individual team members are on leave
10. guard the confidential nature of anything written down Written notes must be destroyed at the end of each working day The use of laptops or personal organisers e g Blackberry is not allowed Although once inside the VML it is possible to access all the available datasets researchers should only access those specified in the secondment contract for which permission has been granted When working with the datasets researchers must not attempt to identify a single company or individual Given the confidential nature of the data under no circumstances should raw data be removed from the VML Analytical output or statistical tables may only be removed from the VML and sent to researchers once they have gone through disclosure control by VML staff members All transfers of data to and from the VML will be recorded As researchers cannot accidentally remove data from the lab all unauthorised releases are deliberate breaches of contract and action will be taken accordingly Attempting to remove uncleared data whether that attempt is successful or not is grounds for immediate termination of the secondment and the removal of the researcher from the premises There is also the potential for the removal of access rights for all employees of the supporting institution and criminal charges against the researcher 3 3 The safe framework The set up of the Lab has been designed to make 1t very difficult for users to break the legal and practical
11. hfield Pimlico South Wales Birkdale Fareham London NP10 8XG Southport PO15 5RR SW1V 2QQ 3 terminals PR8 2HH 1 terminal 8 terminals 1 terminal 2 2 Booking time in the VML Users must first complete the VML researcher training course and a research application form to gain approval to use the VML The application form should cover an overview of the aims of the research project and which datasets you plan to use Once your application has been cleared a booking must be made to use the VML The VML is a shared resource so its use must be planned accordingly It is not possible for users to just arrive at one of the laboratory locations access will be denied The VML team must always consider the security issues of letting users into ONS sites and the confidential nature of the data To book a place on the training course request an application form or book a time slot in the VML email vml ons gov uk The VML s open 9 30am to 4 30pm on working days 2 3 What to expect Within the VML access to the data sets s through thin terminals These are essentially a network card attached to a screen and a keyboard They will only connect to the VML server users are cut off from all outside sites and servers The VML is structured as follows The Virtual Microdata Laboratory VML Secure lab Researcher BDL staff Data read only Logs in to server e work area read write only screen shotg no data lt ae
12. of output Tables and regressions should be placed in separate output files for clearance Users must always provide the frequencies underlying any graphs which are put forward for clearance Generally regressions are less time consuming for VML staff to clear Researchers are advised to note that hiding coefficients makes linear and non linear regressions completely non disclosive while panel models are inherently safe Presenting work in these formats will considerably speed up the clearance process 6 3 Intermediate vs Final Disclosure To receive data files for publication and public use output must be cleared through the Final Disclosure procedure Output must be cleared by two members of VML staff hence researchers should factor in more time to get work cleared to this level Overall output must be of a high standard and meet the disclosure rules in its strictest forms Intermediate clearance is not for public use Files given this level of clearance may only be used for writing up results recoding programmes and discussion with co researchers Intermediate output may not be used for publication which includes presentations at seminars and workshops even if no paper is circulated with the presentation The Intermediate Disclosure procedure needs only to be cleared by one member of VML staff hence is generally faster 6 4 Status of outputs All the outputs are ONS products so if researcher A runs a regression of X on Y in
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