It is possible to configure the CLC Genomics Server so that some members of some groups have permission to create and download BLAST databases in a BLAST database location, while others can run searches, but not add more BLAST databases onto the server. You can also restrict use of the BLAST search tool on the CLC Genomics Server to specified groups.

To carry out the work described here, you must be logged in as a user that has administrative rights on the CLC Genomics Server. Permissions are set a group level, so before proceeding to the steps below, please ensure that users are in appropriate groups. e.g. those who should be able to add BLAST databases to the server BLAST database location are in a particular user group or groups, separate from the groups containing users who should not have such access.

In these instructions, we assume there are three user groups:

• admin - members of this group should have full permissions
• noblast - members of this group should not be able to run BLAST searchers or add new BLAST databases to the server's BLAST database location.
• normal - members of this group should be able to run BLAST searches but not add new BLAST databases to the server's BLAST database location.

1. Create the dedicated BLAST database location on the Genomics Server: How can I add BLAST database locations to my Server? 

2. To allow only users in the 'admin' group to add BLAST databases to the server's BLAST database location, grant this group, and no others, permission to run the following algorithms through Admin | Global permissions | Algorithms:

• Create BLAST Database

• Download BLAST Database

3. To allow users of the 'admin' and 'normal' groups to submit BLAST searches onto the CLC Genomics Server, grant permission to both groups for the following algorithm through Admin | Global permissions | Algorithms:

• BLAST

4. (Optional) To block certain group ('noblast' in this case) from accessing a particular BLAST database location completely, click on the "Edit Permissions..." button beside the relevant Import/export directory under  Admin | Global permissions | Import/export directories, as shown in the following screenshot.

This may be a useful thing to do in cases where you have multiple BLAST database locations and users in some groups should have access to particular BLAST database locations but not others.

The only other arguable benefit would be to avoid the possibility that users in a particular group could not export other types of data into the folder designated as a BLAST database location. However, this eventuality exists for any users with access to particular Import/export locations. If someone did export data to a BLAST database location, it would not affect the list of BLAST databases available for users who are able to run BLAST searches. There is no export functionality in the Workbench or Server for exporting BLAST databases, and only BLAST databases are listed via the BLAST search and management tools.