Future plans

Kristian Gray

Internal database

  • In 2014 we announced that the PostgreSQL database server should be replaced by a MySQL server.
  • Since we needed to replace drupal and redesign/design the HGNC and VGNC websites this had to be delayed.
  • Within the next funding period we would like to revisit this issue.

Internal database - problems

  • Current schema limitations make development difficult
  • Parts of the schema no longer reflect the biological data
  • Database schema is not truly relational

Internal database - solutions

  • Use MySQL which is supported and is the same database as our front end
  • Redesign the schema to better reflect the data and fully normalise
  • This will allow us to add more sources of data and allow us to query the database easier for reports and development
  • The VGNC is already using a similar database schema which was originally created as a prototype for a new MySQL HGNC internal database.

Internal applications and data release pipeline

  • New database = new applications + new data release pipeline
  • Rewrite application using modern and widely used frameworks and layouts (AngularJS with bootstrap CSS etc)
  • Change the update and release pipeline so that data downloads happen in parallel (i.e. using the farm).

Release the new HGNC beta site and retire the old

  • Need to finish of the beta site
  • - Adding xrefs to RNA central to the symbol reports
  • - Multiple Ensembl ENSG IDs to the symbol reports
  • - creating a tag at the top of the symbol reports for families
  • Need to do extensive user experience testing
  • Need to write redirect rules on the server.
  • Complete the website editor.
  • Make all our resources HTTPS accessible.

REST API

  • The HGNC REST API has been a successful addition to our service.
  • In one year we have had 35,500 sessions with 81% of the sessions created by returning users.
  • Because of this we would like to expand our REST API to include gene families and the VGNC data.
  • Also we could create a web application that allows users to build queries that utilise the REST API in the background.
  • The new query builder could then replace the old custom downloads tool.
cystal ball

Infrastructure changes

  • Every 5 years the tender on the external data centre (DC) is renewed (2 years into the 5).
  • Unlikely that the current data centre contract will be renewed.
  • Although a change in DC shouldn't affect the infrastructure model, the reality is that with each DC move, we have had to work on the model.
  • We have so far moved from physical machines -> VMs -> microservices and containers ??