In today’s research landscape, where enormous and complex data sets are produced across disciplines, effective data management has become a critical challenge for scientists worldwide. The Integrated Rule-Oriented Data System (iRODS) has emerged as a powerful tool for organizing, securing, and automating data workflows in research institutions. iRODS is an open-source data management system that unifies data storage across distributed and heterogeneous environments. It acts as an intelligent digital librarian, enabling researchers to find, access, and share data regardless of its physical location – whether on local servers, in the cloud, or on computing clusters.

This virtualization layer abstracts the complexity of managing data spread across diverse locations. iRODS provides four core capabilities: data virtualization, data discovery through rich metadata, workflow automation via a powerful rule engine, and secure collaboration across organizations. It also supports FAIR data management principles through a centralized metadata catalog, fine-grained access controls, policy automation, and detailed data provenance tracking.

The iRODS User Group Meeting (UGM) is an annual international conference hosted by the iRODS Consortium that brings together users, developers, and data infrastructure managers from academia, government agencies, and industry. The 17th edition will take place from June 17 to 20, 2025, at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina (USA). The event will also be accessible online and is expected to attract over a hundred data professionals from around the globe.

The conference program includes more than 25 presentations from users and developers, featuring case studies, technology integrations, live demonstrations, and open discussions on new feature proposals for iRODS. Attendees will learn about real-world applications of iRODS in diverse scientific domains, best practices for implementing FAIR data management, and opportunities to engage with the vibrant international iRODS community driving ongoing innovation. Presentations will cover the latest advancements in distributed data management, interoperability, cross-zone data sharing (federation), metadata, and rule-based automation with the iRODS Rule Engine.

The first day (June 17) is dedicated to optional training sessions. The beginner track focuses on an introduction to iRODS, working with data objects and collections, and basic system capabilities, while the advanced track offers deeper insights into system architecture, rule engine plugins, automated data ingestion, multi-tier storage, and other advanced features. The final day (June 20) provides individual consultations and technical support for participants looking to address specific questions related to current or planned iRODS deployments.

The Call for Papers is currently underway, inviting users and developers to actively participate and share their experiences with the community. Registration for the event is open for both in-person attendance and online participation.

For more information about the program and registration, visit here.

Last updated on June 2, 2025