Dynamic configuration and data security for bioinformatics cloud services with the Laniakea Dashboard

Abstract

Technological advances in high-throughput technologies improve our ability to explore the molecular mechanisms of life. Computational infrastructures for scientific applications fulfil a critical role in harnessing this potential. However, there is an ongoing need to improve accessibility and implement robust data security technologies to allow the processing of sensitive data, particularly human genetic data. Scientific clouds have emerged as a promising solution to meet these needs. We present three components of the Laniakea software stack, initially developed to support the provision of private on-demand Galaxy instances. These components can be adopted by providers of scientific cloud services built on the INDIGO PaaS layer. The Dashboard translates configuration template files into user-friendly web interfaces, enabling the easy configuration and launch of on-demand applications. The secret management and the encryption components, integrated within the Dashboard, support the secure handling of passphrases and credentials and the deployment of block-level encrypted storage volumes for managing sensitive data in the cloud environment. By adopting these software components, scientific cloud providers can develop convenient, secure and efficient on-demand services for their users.