# Connecting to Google Cloud Storage

Connect [Publisher](https://docs.omics.ai/products/publisher) to [Google Cloud Storage (GCS)](https://cloud.google.com/storage/docs) to access and share your data. This connection requires Google Cloud credentials and specific project information.

## Prerequisites

Before starting, gather these items:

* [Google service account](https://cloud.google.com/iam/docs/keys-create-delete) with appropriate permissions
* Service account key in JSON format
* Name of your GCS bucket

## Configuration Process

### Initial Setup

From the Publisher interface, select "Data Sources" in the navigation bar and click "Connect Data Source". Choose "Google Cloud Storage Object Store" from the available connectors.

### Service Account Setup

1. Access your [Google Cloud Platform Console](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials):
   * Create a new service account or use an existing one
   * Navigate to the KEYS tab
   * Create a new key in JSON format
2. In Publisher, upload your JSON Service Account key

{% hint style="info" %}
For detailed instructions on creating [Google service account keys](https://docs.omics.ai/products/publisher/data-sources/connectors/broken-reference), refer to Google Cloud documentation.
{% endhint %}

## Storage Configuration

Select your storage bucket from the available options.

### Data Update Settings

Choose how Publisher monitors your GCS bucket:

### **Google PubSub Option:**

* Enable Google PubSub integration
* Provide:
  * PubSub topic ID
  * PubSub project ID
  * Service account key for PubSub (JSON format)

### **Schedule Option:**

* Select an update interval (30 seconds to monthly)
* Updates can be configured later if needed

### Finalizing Setup

1. Provide a descriptive name for your data source
2. Optionally create and share a collection from this data source