Design of a Management Tool for Scientific Data at the DLR-Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology: DataFinder

Kurzfassung

The DLR-Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology (AS) recognized very early the requirement to reorganize the ever growing amount of scientific data resulting from numerical and experimental analysis of aircraft and spacecraft configurations. To store, backup and archive these data is an important cost factor for the institute. Not at least it is important to save these data, because it represents the knowledge, meaning the capital, of a scientific research institute. In 2001 AS started to investigate the existing data management situtation in detail and to define the desired situation. After this period of definition AS and the DLR-Institute of Flight Systems (FT) started to evaluate commercially available product data management systems. In this phase, it showed up, that such systems require very high investments for licensing and customisation, with a large amount of functionality which is not necessary in a scientific research environment. At the same time the DLR-department SISTEC presented their concept for the management of scientific data, including a simple software prototype, the DataFinder, to demonstrate their concept. The concept is based upon the use of well established, open and flexible standards with a good perspective for the future. After a long evaluation and decision process, with both the DataFinder prototype and commercial systems, a project was started to enhance this prototype to be efficient and flexible tool for the management of scientific data. An outcome of this process was the rollout of the implemented software environment at these two DLR-Institutes. A rollout in other DLR-institutes and enhancement for industrial employment are planned.