Globus Supporting Google Drive

Globus, a research data management service and a trademark of the University of Chicago, announced availability of Globus for Google Drive, a capability that lets users connect Google Drive with their existing storage ecosystem, enabling a single interface for data transfer, sharing and publication across all storage systems.

For those who work with large and numerous data files, especially researchers and IT staff at universities, government agencies, super-computing centers and national facilities, the announcement means easier access to more storage and data, expanding scope and productivity of data-intensive computing.

“Our researchers wanted to use Google Drive for storage, but found that they had to babysit the data transfers,” said Krishna Muriki, computer systems engineer, HPC services, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. “They were already familiar with using Globus so we thought it would make a good interface for Google Drive; that’s why we partnered with Globus to develop this connector. Now our researchers have a familiar, web-based interface across all their storage resources, including Google Drive, so it is painless to move data where they need it and share results with collaborators. Globus manages all the data movement and authorization, improving security and reliability as well.“

“Google Drive provides many institutions with unlimited storage, but taking advantage of this resource can be challenging for users,” said Steve Tuecke, Globus co-inventor and project lead. “With Globus for Google Drive, you can put all that storage to work by plugging Google Drive into the storage ecosystem your researchers already use – including campus clusters, XSEDE super-computers, lab servers, scientific instruments, archival storage like Spectra BlackPearl or HPSS, cloud storage like Amazon S3 – and now Google Drive.“

Tuecke added: “I just used my smartphone to share data from our HPC cluster with a colleague, and I didn’t have to worry about looking up his Google email or asking our IT admin to get him an account. Those problems just go away.“

The Globus platform is used by thousands of people worldwide for efficient, secure, and reliable research data management. All that’s required is a standard Internet connection to initiate data sharing or transfers from anywhere to anywhere using any web browser. Users can share their data with any existing identity or email address, or with groups of users, without adding new accounts on the system where the shared data is stored. Authentication is handled automatically, and for data movement Globus manages the process with reliability, even for massive transfers. It provides instant access to over 50,000 registered storage endpoints, including all XSEDE systems and systems at over 80% of the largest research universities in the US. New storage endpoints of all types can be added including personal laptops, lab servers, and supercomputers.

Globus for Google Drive can be installed and configured in minutes, and subscribers can integrate Google Drive into their own workflows and applications using the REST APIs provided by the Globus platform. It also supports Google Team Drives, so users can extend their shared Google team spaces to the Globus storage ecosystem, and simplify transfer and sharing of files among team members and external collaborators.

Globus customers can add Globus for Google Drive to their subscription, enabling access to capabilities like file sharing and monitoring of data movement activity across all research storage systems.

And, as a non-profit organization, Globus has priced their subscriptions affordably to encourage use by all researchers.