Connect multiple MinION to one host

[cpw]

Dear list,

a colleague of mine want's to use an array on MinIONs in the context of metabarcoding. While we don't have the devices at hand yet, I think from the specs it should be possible to have several MiniIONs connected to one server:

Data production rate:
>Clive Brown's goal is running at 1300 bases per second, which would be a theoretical maximum throughput of about 30Mb per minute, or 2 Gb per hour on the MinION.
(http://seqanswers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71774)

While the device produces data at in Kbps rate, USB 3.0 should handle X00 Mbps (all data analysis could be done offline, when we have the FAST5).

As far as I understand, it's necessary to use ONT's proprietary MinKNOW for the data acquisition and generating the HDF5-derived FAST5 (e.g. poretools seem to require MinKNOW)?

Does MinKNOW supports data acquisition from multiple physical devices? Is anybody using a set-up with multiple instances of 'MinKNOW' on the same host with several MinIONs e.g. using virtualisation/dockerized layers?

Thanks for you help,
CPW.

[wdecoster]

I've seen people tweeting with pictures of multiple minIONs running so it's definitely possible and supported. And yes, MinKNOW software is required for sequencing on MiniION(s).

[cpw]

Thanks for the infos, meanwhile I got the following reply from ONT support:

MinKNOW will allow you to connect to multiple MinIONs at the same time and users have run more than one MinION from the same computer, although generally customers run 1 MinION per computer. In principle it should work ...

I'll give it a try after the ordered devices arrived and I will provide feedback of any outcome or useful technical set-up.

Kind regards,
C.

[GenoMax]

meanwhile I got the following reply from ONT support:

MinKNOW will allow you to connect to multiple MinIONs at the same time and users have run more than one MinION from the same computer, although generally customers run 1 MinION per computer. In principle it should work ...

Sounds like this would be an "off-label application". It may work but if you run into trouble don't go calling tech support

[wdecoster]

Based on the community forum indeed it has worked for users. But what would your reason be to run multiple MinIONs in parallel?

[gringer]

You run multiple MinIONs in parallel so that you can do more sequencing. One 10Gnt run in 48 hours might be enough for some people, but not for others.

[wdecoster]

You run multiple MinIONs in parallel so that you can do more sequencing. One 10Gnt run in 48 hours might be enough for some people, but not for others.

Obviously. But since OP appears new to nanopore sequencing, I thought he might not be aware of barcoding options.