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AdministrationENA Credentials

ENA Credentials

To submit data to the European Nucleotide Archive, you need a Webin account. Configure the credentials in SeqDesk so the system can authenticate with ENA’s API.

Getting a Webin Account

If you do not have a Webin account:

  1. Register at ENA Webin Portal 
  2. Your account ID will be in the format Webin-XXXXX
  3. Note your password and center name

Configuration

Navigate to Admin → ENA Configuration (/admin/ena).

FieldDescription
Webin UsernameYour account ID (format: Webin-XXXXX)
Webin PasswordYour account password (stored encrypted)
Test ModeToggle between test and production servers
Center NameYour submission center name (optional)

Test Connection

After entering credentials, use the Test Connection button to verify they work against the ENA server.

Test Mode

ModeServerPurpose
Test (default)wwwdev.ebi.ac.ukValidate submissions, data expires in 24h
Productionwww.ebi.ac.ukCreate permanent public records

Always start with test mode enabled. Test submissions use the same validation as production but do not create permanent records.

Alternative Configuration Methods

ENA credentials can also be set through:

Environment variables (recommended for secrets):

export SEQDESK_ENA_USERNAME="Webin-12345"
export SEQDESK_ENA_PASSWORD="your-password"
export SEQDESK_ENA_TEST_MODE="true"
export SEQDESK_ENA_CENTER="Your Center Name"

Config file (not recommended for passwords):

{
  "ena": {
    "username": "Webin-12345",
    "testMode": true,
    "centerName": "Your Center Name"
  }
}

Environment variables take priority over the config file, which takes priority over the Admin UI settings. See Configuration Sources for details.

Security

  • Passwords stored in the database are encrypted
  • Passwords in API responses are masked
  • Prefer environment variables for credentials in automated deployments
  • Never commit passwords to config files in version control