Central analysis server: https://lifecycle.analysis.molgenis.org

We have implemented a data management and analysis platform based on DataSHIELD (www.datashield.ac.uk), and a metadata catalogue describing the data made available based on MOLGENIS (http://molgenis.org) within a governance framework in which responsibility for data management and security is maintained by the source studies.

We have chosen a central analysis server (central setup) of R-Studio to facilitate a central R-environment to do DataSHIELD analyses on. The reason we have set up the infrastructure this way is because of security, reproducibility of research environments, a way to share analysis easily, and to have some version of control on the analysis-scripts.

Security

We rather do not expose servers which contain data directly to the internet. The DataSHIELD network is now secured in 2 layers. One is the firewall between the Opal instances and the analyses server and the other one is between the central analysis server and the different research-facilities where research perform there analysis. Everyone who wants access to the central analysis server has to do a request for opening up the firewall to their facility or specific workstation (if needed).

Reproducibility

Because of the wide availability of R-packages and other tooling, we wanted to have a shared analysis environment. The idea is that all work spaces in the central-analysis-server are the same. If researchers want to use a new R-package it should be installed globally so everyone can work with it.

Sharing analysis and version control

R-Studio is fully integrated with Git (version control) and a central place where we can work on our meta analysis. In Git you are able to work with each other on one or more research projects

This is, in short, how we have setup the environment and what choices where made to facilitate the researchers as much as possible.

Gain access to the environment

You can access the central analysis server by clicking here . If you are a LifeCycle researcher or scientist and need access to the environment, please do not hesitate to contact [email protected].