Data Transfer
Efficient and reliable data transfer is a critical component of research computing. A variety of useful tools is available for rapid data transfer, whether you are transferring data from an external site or within different computing environments at UVA.
Selecting a Transfer Method
The data transfer method you choose heavily relies on the data sensitivity classification, where the data are currently located and to where you want to transfer the data. Click on a row in the table below to learn more about the data transfer methods available for a specific scenario.
System 1 | System 2 | Example Scenario |
---|---|---|
Lab Workstation |
Storage for Public and Moderatively Sensitive Data |
|
Local Computer
|
Remote System |
Data Transfer Methods |
System 1 | System 2 | Example Scenario |
---|---|---|
Secure Lab Workstation |
Storage for Highly Sensitive Data |
Expand |
Sources
|
Destination |
Data Transfer Methods |
System 1 | System 2 | Example Scenario |
---|---|---|
External Institution |
University of Virginia |
|
Sources Any institution that uses Globus, such as:
|
Destinations |
Data Transfer Methods |
Data Transfer Methods
Globus Connect
Large-scale research data transfer

Transferring large amounts of research data is fast and simple with Globus Connect. Globus gives researchers unified access to their data through an easy-to-use web interface, and can be used to transfer data between your laptop and storage systems mounted on the Rivanna HPC system. Globus can also be used to transfer data from other universities or supercomputing facilities.
For transferring highly sensitive data such as HIPAA or CUI data to the Ivy secure computing environment, researchers must use the secure Globus data transfer node (DTN).
Graphical SFTP Clients

Secure file transfer protocol (SFTP)
Programs such as MobaXterm, Filezilla, and Cyberduck provide a graphical user interface to transfer data between a local computer and a remote storage location that permits scp
or sftp
. These applications allow drag-and-drop file manipulation.
Local Data Transfer with the Command Line
When using a Linux file system, users can invoke generic Linux commands to manage files and directories (mv
, cp
, mkdir
), manage permissions (chmod
) and navigate the file system (cd
, ls
, pwd
). If you or your collaborators are unfamiliar with some of these commands, we encourage you to take time to review some of the material below:
- 10 Essential Linux Commands
- How To Manage Files From The Linux Terminal
- Navigating the Linux Filesystem
- Shell Novice
For more help, please feel free to contact RC staff to set up a consultation or visit us during office hours.