diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 4eda0cf56d..8cc62abe2f 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -172,3 +172,9 @@ DEFAULT_NUMBER_OF_APPLICATIONS_TO_REMIND = 5
 
 # minimum number of word needed for research_summary field for Credentialing Model.
 MIN_WORDS_RESEARCH_SUMMARY_CREDENTIALING = 20
+
+
+# Data Source configurations
+# Data Source determines how the data is stored(direct on server, gcs, big query, aws s3) and accessed(Direct, google, aws, Research Environment)
+# OPTIONS: direct, google, aws, research_environment
+DEFAULT_PROJECT_ACCESS_MECHANISM = 'direct'
diff --git a/physionet-django/physionet/settings/base.py b/physionet-django/physionet/settings/base.py
index 20f9a1d05b..b737d20f50 100644
--- a/physionet-django/physionet/settings/base.py
+++ b/physionet-django/physionet/settings/base.py
@@ -612,3 +612,5 @@ class StorageTypes:
 
 # minimum number of word needed for research_summary field for Credentialing Model.
 MIN_WORDS_RESEARCH_SUMMARY_CREDENTIALING = config('MIN_WORDS_RESEARCH_SUMMARY_CREDENTIALING', cast=int, default=20)
+
+DEFAULT_PROJECT_ACCESS_MECHANISM = config('DEFAULT_PROJECT_ACCESS_MECHANISM', default='direct')
diff --git a/physionet-django/project/projectfiles/gcs.py b/physionet-django/project/projectfiles/gcs.py
index ed1d215f77..7e977afa0c 100644
--- a/physionet-django/project/projectfiles/gcs.py
+++ b/physionet-django/project/projectfiles/gcs.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from django.shortcuts import redirect
 from google.cloud.exceptions import Conflict, NotFound
 from physionet.gcs import GCSObject, GCSObjectException, create_bucket, delete_bucket
+from project.models import DataSource
 from project.projectfiles.base import BaseProjectFiles
 from project.utility import DirectoryInfo, FileInfo, readable_size
 
@@ -117,6 +118,14 @@ def publish_initial(self, active_project, published_project):
 
     def publish_complete(self, active_project, published_project):
         self.rm_dir(active_project.file_root())
+        if settings.DEFAULT_PROJECT_ACCESS_MECHANISM == 'research_environment':
+            DataSource.objects.create(
+                project=published_project,
+                files_available=True,
+                data_location=DataSource.DataLocation.GOOGLE_CLOUD_STORAGE,
+                access_mechanism=DataSource.AccessMechanism.RESEARCH_ENVIRONMENT,
+                uri=f'gs://{published_project.project_file_root()}/',
+            )
 
     def publish_rollback(self, active_project, published_project):
         delete_bucket(published_project.project_file_root())
diff --git a/physionet-django/project/projectfiles/local.py b/physionet-django/project/projectfiles/local.py
index a7a87ad398..c7226ff322 100644
--- a/physionet-django/project/projectfiles/local.py
+++ b/physionet-django/project/projectfiles/local.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from physionet.utility import serve_file, sorted_tree_files, zip_dir
+from project.models import DataSource
 from project.projectfiles.base import BaseProjectFiles
 from project.utility import (
     clear_directory,
@@ -120,7 +121,13 @@ def publish_rollback(self, active_project, published_project):
         os.rename(published_project.file_root(), active_project.file_root())
 
     def publish_complete(self, active_project, published_project):
-        pass
+        if settings.DEFAULT_PROJECT_ACCESS_MECHANISM == 'direct':
+            DataSource.objects.create(
+                project=published_project,
+                files_available=True,
+                data_location=DataSource.DataLocation.DIRECT,
+            )
+
 
     def get_project_file_root(self, slug, version, access_policy, klass):
         if access_policy: