Distributed database for analytical instruments

Techniques for controlling analytical instruments are provided. A sequence of steps can be utilized to specify wells of a microfluidic device, mobility to be applied to fluid in the wells, and the duration to apply the mobility. For example, fluids can be sequentially run past down a main channel to a detection zone of the microfluidic device in order to analyze the fluids. In order to increase the efficiency of the analysis, fluids can be processed in parallel by running one fluid down the main channel while another fluid is loaded to the main channel.