From static repository to dynamic archive: An exploration of the evolution of NSIDC Data Services

As NSIDC celebrates its 30th anniversary, it does so in a computing environment unimaginable at its beginning. The reach of the Internet, and more specifically the protocols it supports (such as HTTP and FTP) enables options for data discovery and delivery that were impossible at NSIDC's inception. This changing cyber-infrastructure allows us to explore new ways of thinking about how a data archive can serve its users.  It also requires us to respond to changes in the research questions being posed and examined, and the
corresponding requirements for data discovery and access in the research process. Increasingly, climate research requires an interdisciplinary approach to answering its questions. Not only do users need help navigating the expanding volumes of data available at any one data archive, they also need to be able to use the data we provide in conjunction with data from other centers and disciplines.

NSIDC's challenge is to position ourselves to respond to changes in user access patterns, analysis tools and requested data formats, while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the data center holdings and plan for long term data stewardship.

This presentation will review work in progress to evolve NSIDC data systems and services. It will examine the process used to assess our current data services and the conclusions from that assessment, the design and implementation of exploratory web-
based projects which address our next-generation data delivery roles and responsibilities, and preliminary feedback on the results of those projects.