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Oak Globus Endpoint#

What is Globus?#

Globus is a cloud-based data transfer and sharing platform widely used in research computing. It provides fast, reliable file transfers between endpoints — even for very large datasets — and lets you share data with collaborators at other institutions.

Globus is free for all Oak users, funded by University IT, Stanford Libraries, and the Genetics Bioinformatics Service Center. You can access Globus directly at app.globus.org.

There is a dedicated page with information with more information about using Globus at Stanford at https://globus.stanford.edu.

Data Classification

The Oak Globus endpoint is approved for Low and Moderate Risk data only. Do not transfer High Risk data through Globus. For more information, see Stanford's data classification guide.

Transferring Files#

Logging In#

  1. Go to app.globus.org/file-manager.
  2. In "Use your existing organizational login", choose Stanford University.
  3. Authenticate with your SUNet ID and password.

Finding the Oak Endpoint#

Once logged in to the Globus File Manager:

  1. Click in the Collection search box on either panel.
  2. Search for SRCC Oak or go directly to the SRCC Oak collection.
  3. Navigate to your Oak space (e.g., /oak/stanford/groups/$GROUP).

Transferring Between Two Endpoints#

Globus uses a two-panel interface — a source on one side and a destination on the other. To transfer files:

  1. In one panel, navigate to the SRCC Oak collection and browse to your files.
  2. In the other panel, search for and select your destination endpoint (another campus cluster, a cloud endpoint, or a personal endpoint).
  3. Select the files or folders you want to transfer.
  4. Click Start to begin the transfer.

Transfers run in the background

You don't need to keep your browser open. Globus will manage the transfer and send you an email when it completes (or if there's an error). You can monitor progress on the Activity page.

Globus Connect Personal#

To transfer files between Oak and your laptop or desktop, install Globus Connect Personal. This creates a local endpoint on your machine that Globus can transfer to and from.

Once installed and running, your personal endpoint will appear in the Globus File Manager and can be used as a source or destination for transfers.

Sharing Data with Outside Collaborators (Guest Collections)#

What is a Guest Collection?#

A guest collection lets you share a folder from your Oak space with anyone who has a Globus account — including collaborators outside of Stanford. You control exactly which folder is shared and who can access it.

Creating a Guest Collection#

  1. Log in to app.globus.org/file-manager.
  2. Navigate to the SRCC Oak collection and browse to the folder you want to share.
  3. Highlight the folder, then click Share in the right-side panel.
  4. Click Add Guest Collection.
  5. Give the collection a descriptive name (e.g., "Lab Results for Collaborator X") and click Create Collection.
  6. On the permissions tab, click Add Permissions — Share With.
  7. Add your collaborators by entering their email address or Globus identity.
  8. Choose the appropriate access level:
    • read — collaborators can download files but not modify them.
    • read/write — collaborators can upload, download, and modify files.
  9. Click Add Permission. Collaborators will receive an email notification with a link to access the shared folder.

Managing Permissions#

After creating a guest collection, you can manage it at any time:

  • Add or remove users: Go to the collection's Permissions tab to grant or revoke access.
  • Change access levels: Modify existing permissions between read-only and read/write.
  • Assign Access Managers: Grant the "Access Manager" role to trusted collaborators so they can add or remove users without your involvement. This is useful for large projects with many participants.

You can manage all of your guest collections from the Globus Collections page.