DNA Sequencing Provider Uses Globus to Speed Data Delivery to Customers

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By using Globus to move massive files to customers’ local machines, UC’s Sequencing Center is improving the speed, ease and reliability of delivering results to its customers.

A service provider of next generation sequencing, the Center is used by scientists to sequence the DNA of blood, tissue and other physical samples: A customer ships or hand-delivers a sample to the facility, and the results must be delivered back to that scientist (or his/her facility) to be processed and analyzed. The delivery of these potentially multi-terabyte files is a major challenge, since the required level of security and reliability is tremendous. So, working with the Initiative in Biomedical Informatics (iBi), the UC Sequencing Center is creating a file transfer solution based on Globus: Technicians at the Sequencing Center use Globus to move data from their site to iBi’s data center, when it can easily be accessed by the Center’s customers. Now, thanks to Globus, it's a trivial matter for the Sequencing Center to get scientists the data they need at the iBi facility, where it can quickly be put to use. As iBi’s Neil Bahroos puts it, “file size is no longer a barrier to productivity.” In addition, Globus's “Globus Connect” feature will allow users to add their own personal computers as endpoints for transfer – so scientists can receive their results right on their local computers if desired. Highlights:

• "It’s just not a big deal to move big data anymore."
• "Our biologists and scientists shouldn’t have to spend time managing file transfer – we wanted to make the system much easier for them. Now, with Globus, the process is trivial and our scientists can move data to the right location with just a few clicks. File size is no longer a barrier to productivity.”
• "The hundreds of other sequencing centers around the globe should be looking at solutions like this – it’s just a better way to get their product (data) to their customers."
• "Sequencing Center staff are experts in their respective fields – not in IT. With Globus, they don’t have to be file transfer experts to get their work done."
• "One day sequencing the human genome will be as routine as performing a blood test – but not until the infrastructure is ready to process all that data in a more efficient fashion. With Globus we’re headed in that direction."
• "In a sense, the iBi is a cloud provider for biological scientists – and Globus is the tool we use to bring data – like sequencing data from the UC Center -- into our facility."

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