New data access paradigms support a variety of human and machine access paths with data servers (THREDDS, https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/thredds/current/tds/ and Hyrax, http://opendap.org) that support multiple services for a given dataset. We need metadata that can describe those services and unambiguously differentiate between access paths for humans and for machines. The ISO 19115 metadata standard includes service metadata and allows data and services for that data to be described in the same record. I propose that we use the service metadata for machine access and the more traditional distribution information for human access. This talk was presented at the ESIP (espied.org) meeting during January 2014.

1. Metadata For
Humans
and Machines
Ted Habermann
Director of Earth Science
The HDF Group
thabermann@hdfgroup.org
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
1

2. Evolving Data Access
HDF
HDF
FTP
HTTP
Data Center
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
2

3. Evolving Data Access
HDF
Data Center
January 8-10, 2014
HDF
FTP
HTTP
<metadata>
<distinfo>
<stdorder>
<digform>
<digtinfo>
<formname> ASCII </formname>
<transize> 208.000000 </transize>
</digtinfo>
<digtopt>
<onlinopt>
<computer>
<networka>
<networkr> http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/aromag.shtml </networkr>
</networka>
</computer>
</onlinopt>
</digtopt>
</digform>
<fees> Depends on the Data Set </fees>
<ordering> Price information is available upon request. </ordering>
<turnarnd> 4 Days </turnarnd>
</stdorder>
</distinfo>
</metadata>
ESIP Winter 2014
3

4. Evolving Data Access
HDF
Data Center
January 8-10, 2014
HDF
FTP
HTTP
<metadata>
<distinfo>
<stdorder>
<digform>
<digtinfo>
<formname> ASCII </formname>
<transize> 208.000000 </transize>
</digtinfo>
<digtopt>
<onlinopt>
<computer>
<networka>
<networkr> http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/aromag.shtml </networkr>
</networka>
</computer>
</onlinopt>
</digtopt>
</digform>
<fees> Depends on the Data Set </fees>
<ordering> Price information is available upon request. </ordering>
<turnarnd> 4 Days </turnarnd>
</stdorder>
</distinfo>
</metadata>
ESIP Winter 2014
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5. Evolving Data Access
T
H
H
R
Y
E or R
D
A
D
X
S
OPeNDAP
HTTP
WMS/WCS
Metadata
Data Center
January 10, 2014
5

6. THREDDS = Data + Services
January 8-10, 2014

7. THREDDS = Data + Services
January 8-10, 2014

8. THREDDS = Data + Services
Data Services
ESIP Winter 2014
January 8-10, 2014
8

9. THREDDS = Data + Services
Metadata Services
ESIP Winter 2014
January 8-10, 2014
9

10. THREDDS = Data + Services
Tools
January 8-10, 2014

11. Multiple Services = Good Thing
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
11

12. Service Metadata (nciSO NcML)
<group name="THREDDSMetadata">
<attribute name="id" value="hdf4DatasetScan/NASAHDF/SW_S3E_2003100.20053531923.hdf" />
<attribute name="full_name" value="NASAHDF/SW_S3E_2003100.20053531923.hdf" />
<attribute name="data_type" value="GRID" />
<group name="services">
<attribute name="opendap_service" value="http://eosdap.hdfgroup.uiuc.edu:8887/thredds/dodsC/mnt/ftp/
pub/outgoing/NASAHDF/SW_S3E_2003100.20053531923.hdf" />
<attribute name="httpserver_service" value="http://eosdap.hdfgroup.uiuc.edu:8887/thredds/fileServer/
mnt/ftp/pub/outgoing/NASAHDF/SW_S3E_2003100.20053531923.hdf" />
<attribute name="wcs_service" value="http://eosdap.hdfgroup.uiuc.edu:8887/thredds/wcs/mnt/ftp/pub/
outgoing/NASAHDF/SW_S3E_2003100.20053531923.hdf?
service=WCS&amp;version=1.0.0&amp;request=GetCapabilities" />
<attribute name="wms_service" value="http://eosdap.hdfgroup.uiuc.edu:8887/thredds/wms/mnt/ftp/pub/
outgoing/NASAHDF/SW_S3E_2003100.20053531923.hdf?
service=WMS&amp;version=1.3.0&amp;request=GetCapabilities" />
<attribute name="nccs_service" value="http://eosdap.hdfgroup.uiuc.edu:8887/thredds/ncss/grid/mnt/ftp/
pub/outgoing/NASAHDF/SW_S3E_2003100.20053531923.hdf/dataset.html" />
</group>
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
12

13. ISO Online Resource
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
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14. ISO Online Resource
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
14

15. ISO Online Resource
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
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16. Metadata (ISO)
1 data identification
4 service identification
2 transfer options
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
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17. Service Information
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
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18. Service Information
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
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19. Distribution Information
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
19

20. Distribution Information
January 8-10, 2014
ESIP Winter 2014
20

21. Questions?
tedhabermann@hdfgroup.org
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22. Acknowledgements
This work was partially supported by contract number NNG10HP02C from NASA.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are
those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASA or The HDF Group.
July 24, 2013
BESSIG
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