To use controlled-access data on Terra, you will need to link your Terra user ID to your authorization account (such as a dbGaP account). Linking to external servers will allow Terra to automatically determine if you can access controlled datasets hosted in Terra (ex. TCGA, TOPMed, etc.) based on your valid dbGaP applications. This article includes step-by-step instructions for how to do this, including project-specific screenshots and directions. 

Contents

• Access Gen3 data files by linking your Terra account to external servers
• Link to external servers: Step-by-step instructions
• Warning: Pay attention to expiration deadlines!!
  

Access Gen3 data files by linking your Terra account to external servers 

If you are an NIH or BioData Catalyst researcher with a dbGaP account, you can link your Terra user ID to your eRA Commons ID. BioData Catalyst researchers must link Terra accounts in order to access and import Gen3 data files (i.e. CRAMS and VCFs).  

Link to external servers: Step-by-step Instructions

1. Go to the main navigation menu by selecting the three horizontal lines at the top left of the Terra platform

2. Click on your profile: 

3. On the right hand side of your profile page under "Identity & External Services", link to the relevant external servers:

• BioData Catalyst users should link to the "DCP Framework Services by University of Chicago". By selecting the link, you will be taken to an external NIH webpage. Follow the instructions to link your accounts.
  
  
• NCI/TGCA users should link to the "DCF Framework Services by University of Chicago". 
  By selecting the link, you will be taken to an external NIH webpage. Follow the instructions to link your accounts.
  

4. If you've linked, you will see a link expiration deadline for each external service 

Please note that links will expire after 30 days and you will need to renew your link to access data. To renew links, select the "Log-in to Framework services..." link and follow instructions. You can re-link your account at any time. See a BioData Catalyst example in the screenshot below:

Warning: Pay attention to the expiration deadlines! 

If your account has not been successfully linked, you will not see the link expiration date. Any attempt to access/import data/or manipulate files from the Terra platform will result in an error indicating a user is not authorized to access data.

If your link expires while you are running a multi-day workflow on imported data, the workflow will fail. Please ensure all workflows on imported data can finish before the expiration deadline.