METADATA

Data about data. Includes data about how, when, where and by whom a set of scientific data was named, structured, represented, collected, calibrated, stored, processes, exchanged, etc. Also, data about data distribution, data statistics, data usage, etc.

NETWORK BANDWIDTH

The capacity to move large data files electronically.

OPEN-SOURCE

Software with its source code made available without any restrictions on its redistribution or reuse.

PARSE

To process a data stream and recognize the individual data in the stream by using the schema for the data stream.

PETABYTE

A measure of memory or storage capacity and is 2 to the 50th power bytes or, in decimal, approximately 1,000 terabytes.

QUERY

Language entered by a user of a search engine or database to find data or information.

RANDOM ACCESS

To access individual data directly, as on a CD, computer disk, or computer memory, rather than scanning through data to find individual data, as on a tape.

SCHEMA

A definition of the structures and representation types of a collection of data.

SUBSETTING

The process of computing and making available a subset of the data in a data stream that satisfies a set of specific conditions. This subset may be delivered immediately or may be stored and subsequently delivered when requested by a user.

TERABYTE

A measure of computer storage capacity and is 2 to the 40th power or approximately 1,000 billion bytes (i.e., a thousand gigabytes).

XML schema

A definition of the structures and representation types of data in a collection of XML documents. All the XML documents in the collection defined by the XML schema adhere to the XML schema.