C
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CA
Cooperative Agreement
COTS
Commercial Off-The-Shelf [Software] or Connection-Oriented Transport
Service
D
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DBMS
Data Base Management System - A Database Management System (DBMS)
is a software system that is used both to create databases and manage
the information stored within them. The architecture of the DBMS will
frequently determine or limit the possible uses of the databases it
creates. Some DBMS's work best for creating single-user databases,
while others can build databases that accommodate multiple users in
larger corporate environments (provided by Information
Technology Toolbox, Inc.).
DPS
Science Tools' Distributed Processing System consists of a database-centric
arcitecture, and programs called Processing Daemons. These daemons,
either the DemandEngine or EagerEngine, run on various client nodes
participating in the environment and look to the database for work,
dispatching processing when appropriate. This strategy is backwards
in perspective to those of other distributed processing strategies
in that the clients are the ones looking for work, rather than having
a central node trying to dispatch to them.
Database-Centrism
Database-centrism is an architectural paradigm in which the management
of data - in a database system - is the central element. Database-centrism
recognizes the core role that data - and hence information - plays
in an enterprise.
E
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ECS
NASA's EOSDIS Core System.
EDPM
Event Driven Processing Model - Traditionally used in hardware control
settings, the Event Driven Processing Model posits that external actions,
called events, are the most pertitent aspect driving computation.
End-To-End
End-To-End is a term first
coined in the early 1990's by NASA during the implementation of the
initial Mission To Planet Earth. The term has been used by different
people for different purposes over the years, mostly incorrectly.
We at Science Tools believe it should only be used to referr to the
original concept: the handling of scientific data from when it is
first created to when it is used by "end-users" in visualizations
or for similar purposes. The term implies a work-flow model of processing
of data, as well as aspects of care such as archival. Our BigSur System
is specifically designed to handle the end-to-end challenge.
EOSDIS
NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System.
Epilogue
An Epilogue is that part of a processing function which cleans up
after the main part of work is done. The Epilogue is responsible for
updating meta-data repositories to report on the success of the process,
what new objects were created, etc.
eScienceHubs™
The fully distributed nature of Science Tool's BigSur system makes
it possible to create interacting installations, each of which participates
with one or more cooperating partner installations. We referr to these
as eScienceHubs because they connect researchers along the lines of
the metaphore of a wheel with a hub and some number of spokes. These
hubs enable researchers to create places where collaboration can take
place, where all members of the scientific enterprise can interact
in real-time.
F
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FGDC
Meta-Data Standard
The Federal Geographic Data Committee Meta-Data
Standard is...
"The
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata was developed to identify
and define the metadata elements used to document digital geospatial
data sets for many purposes. These include metadata to: 1) preserve
the meaning and value of a data set; 2) contribute to a catalog or clearinghouse
and; 3) aid in data transfer."
Furhter information can be obtained here.
G
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Grid
"Grid" computing provides a High-Performance-Computing system
for work-flow, utility, EDPM, peer-to-peer, Clustering
and Super-Computing purposes. Check out Science Tools' presentation
on "Grid Computing
- An Introduction" (pps - 81K) given
to the ESIP Federation during its 2005 Winter Conference in Washington
D.C., January 4-6 2005 by our Chief Scientist, Richard Troy.
H
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High-Performance,
Distributed, Scaleable Architecture
Distributed Processing System which permits scientific functions to
be performed on any system in the network, as desired, with both process-level
and system-level controls for operations staff to manage workload.
L
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Learning
Learning is the process by which data is collected for the purposes
of applying appropriate actions at a subsequent time. We referr to
our software as having the attribute of learning and by this we mean
that it can be taught, by providint it with information, such that
it can later perform the appropriate actions as a means to implement
a functioning system.
LIMS
Library Information Management System
Laboratory Information Management System
Lineage
Lineage is the collective history of the creation of a data object.
Every data object has a lineage - it always has parents! At Science
Tools' we take the lineage of objects seriously because it is the
foundation upon which scientific defensibility rests in a computing
environment. Without a known lineage, scientists and researchers cannot
be sure of their data. With it, however, all manner of exploration
of possibilities may be examined for the determination of correctness
of algorithms, and other aspects of science. Having a known lineage
is the foundation for scientific defensibility.
M
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Meta-Data
Management
Meta-data is the data about the data. Meta-data is a critical but
often over-looked aspect of performing Science. In the case of Science
Tools' products, we usually referr to meta-data management in the
context of processing details which constitute a known "lineage"
about each individual scientific object, all types and collections
to which each belong, the processes that create them and the parental
input objects to those processes.
N
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Named
Database Connection - NDC
A Named Database Connection is a set of data
which is used to inform a system how to connect to a given database.
The user merely referrs to the name of the connection as the data itself
is stored in a way that the user cannot examine the data used to connect,
but may utilize it if so authorized. Named Database Connections, therefore,
provide both convenience and improved security.
NewDISS
or New-DISS
In the next ten to fifteen years, NASA will
deploy a new system for the dissemination of Earth Science Data. This
system, currently called NewDISS, will replace the existing system,
EOSDIS with a network that will increase the involvement of the participating
Earth Scientist, and exploit existing and developing network capabilities
to a further extent than currently possible.
Citations: "Exploit existing and developing network capabilities
to a further extent than currently possible, Dr. Mark Mainer
"Technology Roadmap for NewDISS dated 1 April 2000 prepared for
The Earth Science Technology Office, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
and prepared by The Aerospace Corporation, Dr. Mark Mainer
NFS
Network File System
P
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Progressive-Utilization
Progressive Utilization is an attribute of a system which permits users
to pick and choose features as desired and which does not force the
use of aspects of the system which are not otherwise useful to the user.
Prologue
The
prologue is that part of a processing step which prepares the environment
for a process to run. Most commonly, a prologue is implemented as a
function within the context of a process-wrapper that encapsulates a
scientific process.
R
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Relational
Database Mangement System (RDBMS)
The Relational Data Model, developed by Todd Codd in 1969, allows multiple
tables to be related to one another within a database. For example,
one customer's information could be recorded in separate tables such
as "Personal Information", "Marketing Efforts",
and "Service Requests". The information stored in these tables
will then relate back to the customer's main record. A relational database
management system (RDBMS) also offers flexibility in terms of how the
customer's data can be viewed. To access the information stored in relational
databases, users can either build queries using the Structured Query
Language (SQL), or they can utilize a user interface
that translates their requests into SQL and displays the results. While
the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved an early version
of SQL as a standard, many RDBMS's also use customized, proprietary
forms of the language (provided
by Information Technology Toolbox, Inc.).
The
RDBMS development continued in the early 1980s, largely by Science Tool's
own Professor Michael Stonebraker at the University of California at
Berkeley. The best known effort was known as the Ingres project, and
was the foundation of no less than three commercial implementations
- the offerings of Ingres Corporation, Oracle Corporation, and Britan
Lee (SP?). RDBMSes have the attribute of relating tables of information,
each table of which is like a file, each row of which is like a line,
and each attribute of which is like a field. The proper terminology
in the relational database world is: table, row, attribute, whereas
the older file-system based information systems have files, records
or lines, and fields. Database systems are said to have the ACID
properties - that is, the transactions they perform must be Atomic,
Durable.
S
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SAIF
Canadian version of the U.S.
FGDC Meta-Data Standard
SAN
Storage Area Network or System Area Network
SDPS
Scientific Data Processing Segment (SDPS) - The Science Data Processing
Segment is a NASA construct which has the responsibility to meet the
objectives of the EOS mission in data product search and ordering, processing,
archiving, and distribution. The SDPS, or portions of it, are an integral
part of each of the EOSDIS Distributive Active Archive Centers (DAACs).
The SDPS produces Standard Products, including browse products such
as subsetted, subsampled, and summarized data sets, as well as the associated
metadata. These products are created during routine production processing
and on demand in response to user requests. The SDPS supports data quality
to meet all authorized scientists needs, supports the integration and
testing of algorithms and associated software, stores all data sets
and supports software for the duration of the mission, and provides
user access to data and related information. The term "algorithm"
refers to software delivered to the SDPS by a science investigator (PI,
TL, or II) to be used as the primary tool in the generation of science
products. This incorporates executable code, source code, job control
scripts, as well as documentation. The SDPS also provides software toolkits
to the EOSDIS users. These toolkits provide an integrated package of
toolkit routines provided by the ECS elements that provide a wide range
of common user services including data visualization tools, data transformation
tools, data access services, and algorithm development resources.
SMP
Symmetric MultiProcessing
SQL
SQL
is the Standard Query Language. First addopted in the 1980's, SQL has
emerged as the singular vocabulary for manipulating data in the context
of relational database management systems (RDBMSes). Our products require
conformance to the SQL92 standard.
SRPP
Scientific Research Platform Provide r- a NASA construct associated
with the EOS mission. Please see SDPS above as SRPP is a related term.
SRSP
Scientific Research Service Provider - a NASA construct associated
with the EOS mission. Please see SDPS above as SRPP is a related term.
