1 Introduction

The Mediaflux Data Mover tool is used to move data to- and from Mediaflux via links which can be shared with others. The data movement is secure, robust, efficient (parallel transfer), and resumable. The Data Mover tool  is free to use for all users (users do not need a Mediaflux account/system to use it).

The Data Mover is formally supported for macOS, Windows 10 (Windows 7 also works) and Linux.

More details can be found on the reference wiki page for Data Mover.

We have also deployed additional capability utilising the Data Mover

• Generic Data Transfer to- and from UoM (e.g. someone external wants to send you some data).
• Instrument uploads with central storage and data dispatch to end users

2 How to  start the Data Mover

In general, you will use the Data Mover when you get sent a link (upload or download) by email.  When you click on that link, the Data Mover will either start up if it's already installed, or, if you have never used it, your web browser will download an installer.    Once started, the Data Mover will present you with a simple GUI  to either download or upload data (depending on the type of link you were sent).   

If you start the Data Mover manually,  click the 'Add new' button and paste in the shareable link (upload or download) to proceed - either somebody sent you the link or you created it yourself (see Section 3 below).

More details can be found on:

• Manually install/configure the Data Mover
• Updating the Data Mover (the GUI has an update button when new versions are available).
• Starting the Data Mover
• What happens when data pre-exist (on download or upload).  
• The Command Line Interface of the Data Mover 

3 Making upload and download Data Mover links 

Data Mover links get made in two primary ways

1. As part of the instrument upload workflow, a download link is automatically created and emailed to the end user to access their data.  
2. A person with a Mediaflux account makes a link via the Mediaflux Explorer tool (don't confuse this specific Mediaflux tool with e.g. the Windows Explorer).
   • Start the Mediaflux Explorer tool and log in as usual.  Select a folder from the navigator pane on the left, right click, and select 'Create Download Share' or 'Create Upload Share' and fill in the details in the GUI that arises, including the email address of a recipient.
     • The words 'link', 'share', 'shareable' and 'token' are all largely interchangeable in the context of the Data Mover.
   • We also have a how to video on this topic.
   • Details of these Explorer/Data Mover processes can be read about here.

Note also

• If you create a download link, only the data that exists at the time of making will be downloadable. Anything you add after will not be delivered by a pre-existing link.
• The Mediaflux Explorer also has a menu item (Shares/Manage Shares at the top, second from left) with which you can manage your shareables (e.g. destroy old shareables).
• The Mediaflux Explorer also has a 'Create Download link' menu element. This creates an older style URL (link) which when clicked, downloads the data into a zip file container (via your browser) which must be unpacked. This is slower, uses more storage and not as robust as the 'shares' that the Data Mover uses. However, it is simpler (no extra software needs to be installed and is suitable for small data).

4 Configuration File

It is possible to utilise an optional configuration file (called settings.xml) which controls some of the Data Mover's behaviours.  For example, the default download location, or, for instrument uploads, it holds the shareable token that tells the Data Mover where to upload the data in Mediaflux.  You can read about the details of the configuration file on this page.