Features: Globus vs FileSender

Use cases

Both FileSender and Globus can be used for transferring files to colleagues. However, they work in different ways and suit different use cases. Which you’ll need depends largely on how you’ll be transferring files, the type of data you’ll be sending, and the time period in which you want your files to be available.

Globus

• You need to move vast amounts of data ASAP
• You have specific groups of people that you regularly want to share data with
• You need to securely send sensitive data like personal health information or intellectual property
• You want to send your files to a large number of people
• You want to make a selection of files available for download long-term
• The people you send files to need to access them from multiple institute accounts
• You want to automate data transfers
• You want to routinely transfer data from an instrument to a central repository

Case studies:

• Data Without Borders: the role of Globus in international genome research

FileSender

• You send a relatively small number of files at a time – for example, fewer than 1,000
• The list of people that you send files to isn’t static; it varies with every file transfer
• You want to limit the availability of your sent files to a set time period
• The people you send files to only need to access them from a single institute account
• You want someone to be able to securely send files to you

Case studies:

• Streamlining remote sensing data transfers for environmental research