User oriented access to secure biomedical resources through the grid

Sinnott, R.O., Ajayi, O., Jiang, J., Stell, A.J. and Watt, J. (2006) User oriented access to secure biomedical resources through the grid. Life Science Grid Workshop, Yokohama, Japan, 13-14 Oct 2006.

Abstract

The life science domain is typified by heterogeneous data sets that are evolving at an exponential rate. Numerous post-genomic databases and areas of post-genomic life science research have been established and are being actively explored. Whilst many of these databases are public and freely accessible, it is often the case that researchers have data that is not so freely available and access to this data needs to be strictly controlled when distributed collaborative research is undertaken. Grid technologies provide one mechanism by which access to and integration of federated data sets is possible. Combining such data access and integration technologies with fine grained security infrastructures facilitates the establishment of virtual organisations (VO). However experience has shown that the general research (non-Grid) community are not comfortable with the Grid and its associated security models based upon public key infrastructures (PKIs). The Internet2 Shibboleth technology helps to overcome this through users only having to log in to their home site to gain access to resources across a VO – or in Shibboleth terminology a federation. In this paper we outline how we have applied the combination of Grid technologies, advanced security infrastructures and the Internet2 Shibboleth technology in several biomedical projects to provide a user-oriented model for secure access to and usage of Grid resources. We believe that this model may well become the de facto mechanism for undertaking e-Research on the Grid across numerous domains including the life sciences.

• Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
• Keywords: Grid, security, PKI, shibboleth, clinical trials, epidemiological studies
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Stell, Mr Anthony and Jiang, Mr Jipu and Sinnott, Professor Richard and Watt, Dr John
• Authors: Sinnott, R.O., Ajayi, O., Jiang, J., Stell, A.J., and Watt, J.
• Subjects: Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
• College/School: University Services > IT Services > Computing Service
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2006 The Author
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced with the permission of the author.