The Large File Upload upgrade allows the upload of large files up to 2GB on the Castor CDMS platform. By adding this feature, the maximum file upload size will be upgraded from the standard limit of 5MB to 2GB per file. The increased file size is designed for studies that require the upload of large files, including:
- Medical imaging, including X-Ray, CT, MRI
- Pathological/microscopy imaging
- High resolution photography
- Videos
- Zip files
- Getting started
To enable the upload of large files, the feature must be requested and enabled for your study by the Castor support team. This is a premium feature and thus is associated with additional costs.
What file types can I upload in the File Upload field / LFU?
You can upload any file types in the LFU except for some specific formats. Executable file types (.exe, .bat, .pif), known source code formats ( .js, .php), and screensavers (.scr) cannot be uploaded. For the allowed size of the fields upload, please refer to the 'Upload File' page.
Uploading Large Files
With Large File Upload, you can use the same Upload File fields used for standard file uploads or import the files using the API. For more information about this field, see the article: The 'Upload File' field. The Castor API documentation can be found here - https://data.castoredc.com/api
Fair Usage
There is no limit on the number of files that can be uploaded, however, we have a fair use policy based on a maximum upload of 100GB/month data transfer (upload and download). For storage needs that exceed 1.2 terabytes/year, we can provide a customized quote.
File Hosting
Large files are stored on Google Cloud-hosted servers by default - other options can be arranged subject to additional costs, e.g., Azure, AWS, or custom options.
For a complete list of possible regions, see the cloud provider locations:
- Google: https://cloud.google.com/about/locations/?region=europe#region
- Azure: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/global-infrastructure/regions/
- AWS: https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/
For studies with large file upload enabled, costs apply if you wish to continue storing the files after the study ends. This will be a custom charge depending on the amount and your intended usage (data transfer costs).
Security
File storage is encrypted and the encryption keys are stored in a different location to the files, for security reasons. All data passes through Castor servers, where it is encrypted, before going to the cloud provider. File names and extensions are also removed before being uploaded. The cloud provider does not have access to the unencrypted data.
Limitations
Due to the size of the files, the Uploaded files to zip file option cannot be used to bulk download at this time. As seen with the Upload file field, it’s only possible to preview certain image file types such as pdf and image files.