Serving Static Data

Summary

RC Static Data Sharing service enables sharing of data from the /orange filesystem as static files through a webserver whether publicly or with password protection for individual directories.

Use cases

Some, but not all possible use cases include:

• Sharing data with external collaborators who do not have HiPerGator accounts.
• Looking for a more lightweight and faster to set up approach than Globus.
• Long-term stable URL for supporting data for a publication or project.
• Not wanting to copy/move data already in /orange elsewhere.

Description

Service that allows you to present data you have in your /orange/GROUP directory tree whether publicly or via password-protected directories. Actual directories and files as well as symlinks to directories and files located elsewhere in /orange/GROUP can be used under /orange/GROUP/web/*

As a part of the request, an /orange/GROUP/web directory tree and a 'rc-svc-GROUP-web' user with membership in your GROUP will be created.

Any files or directories or symlinks to them placed under /orange/GROUP/web/public become immediately browsable via https://data.rc.ufl.edu/pub/GROUP/

The content of the /orange/GROUP/web/secure directory is not browsable. There is an immutable index.html file in /orange/GROUP/web/secure explaining that to clients attempting to access https://data.rc.ufl.edu/secure/GROUP/.

Service Setup

• Purchase an orange quota if you don't have one.
• Submit a support request for the initial setup.

Once the request is closed you will be able to use the /orange/GROUP/web directory tree.

Secure Directory Setup

Use the secure_data_download_directory_setup command from the ufrc module to set up password-protected directories under /orange/GROUP/web/secure, which will create password-protected sites under https://data.rc.ufl.edu/secure/GROUP/ if needed. Every configured directory will appear under https://data.rc.ufl.edu/secure/GROUP. Run secure_data_download_directory_setup -h for help or see below. Once a directory (e.g. named 'DIRECTORY') is set up any client who goes to https://data.rc.ufl.edu/secure/GROUP/DIRECTORY will have to enter the configured credentials after which they'll be able to browse the contents of the directory.

Note

Set up the protected directory's configuration before copying or symlinking any data into it. While the secure directory tree is not browseable if someone can guess the exact path to a file they could potential download the file if the authentication is not set up.

If there is a need, you can submit a support request to request that UFRC Single-Signon protection is set up for a particular directory/URL under https://data.rc.ufl.edu/secure/GROUP/ say for a long-term internal UF collaboration. Please specify one or more HiPerGator groups, all HiPerGator users, or all UF GatorLink users as the allowed audience.

$ secure_data_download_directory_setup -h

secure_data_download_directory_setup [-h] [-u <USER>] [-p <PASSWORD>] [-d <DIRECTORY>] OR [-f <INPUT FILE>]  -- Generates a new download location.

Where:
    -h  show this help text
    -o  overwrite existing location
EITHER
    -f  input file with a list of download locations: "user password directory_name"
    -l  delimiter to use with the input file (default is the tab: '     ') 
OR
    -u  username
    -p  password
    -d  download location directory
Note: You need to provide either the file name or the individual options.