Epiphyte is a worked data management solution that enables flexible analysis and parallel collaboration on complex datasets. This solution is applied specifically to data consisting of high-dimensional neural signals and a naturalistic, continuous stimulus, although it could be adapted to any paradigm.
Epiphyte is a worked example, and contains a series of tutorial notebooks meant to bring users through the process of configuring, designing, and deploying a database environment that enables remote collaboration across multiple cities on a complex dataset.
Going through the tutorials will yield a fully functional database, populated with generated mock neural activity and stimulus annotations. While users can in principle modify the import structure and table definitions, the goal of this project is:
- to motivate a specific database structure for complex datasets, and
- to provide a worked example for building and embedding such a database into an ecosystem that facilitates analysis and remote collaboration.
Epiphyte can be configured and deployed for three main use cases, as found in the above flowchart.
Use cases:
- You want to test out the database infrastructure before deploying to a remote server.
- You will be the only user and do not work with large data files.
Follow the installation instructions here:
and continue to Tutorial 4: Configure and connect to the database.
Use cases:
- Multiple people, accessing from separate locations, will use the database.
- You do not need to support large data files.
Complete Tutorial 1: Launch the MySQL Database
and skip to Tutorial 3: Install and set up Epiphyte.
Use cases:
- Multiple people, accessing from separate locations, will use the database.
- You use large data files (e.g., LFP, movie data, multi-hour calcium imaging).
Start at Tutorial 1: Launch the MySQL database and continue through the remaining tutorials.