The interconnected data directory system and Catalog Interoperability

The Catalog Interoperability (CI) project, designed to enable rapid and efficient identification, location, and access to data of interest to the science community, is considered. The CI goal is to create a worldwide data information network composed of interconnected directory, guide (catalog), and inventory systems. Directories were created to aid in finding data. The directories contain brief information about the data sets, sufficient for determining whether further investigation is warranted. They also provide automated links to other information systems which give more detail on data of interest. A common format for describing data sets has been developed, called the Directory Interchange Format (DIF), which is used as the basis of information to be shared among the directories. These DIF files can be passed among the directories to keep their information up to date.