Future trends in data archiving and analysis tools

Data archiving is a pluri-disciplinary activity for which, as far as possible, generic architecture should be used. In this context the conceptual “Open Archival Information System” developed by CCSDS has recently become an ISO standard. For the particular discipline of space plasma physics it remains an open question as to what should be archived, calibrated or uncalibrated data: both have advantages and disadvantages. In any case, data centres must deliver calibrated data to the end user, in a format which he can readily use. Interoperability between data centres is increasingly necessary. Firstly to be able to find data easily, wherever it may be; standardisation of the data description would simplify this task. Secondly to deliver the data; for this a standard data exchange format is desirable. Many data analysis tools now exist, and several offer a large selection of generic applications thanks to the use of their own internal data format, but the idea of a common data format for all these systems is utopic. Therefore there is an urgent need to define a common data format which can be used by data centres to deliver data, and by analysis systems to accept external data and to communicate data between each other. The archiving of analysis tools is problematic, but the best tools will undoubtedly continue to evolve as long as they have users.