Project Focus

Networked Data Centers (NetDC)
The concept of a Networked Data Centers (NetDC) system was formalized in 1996 by representatives of GEOFON, UC Berkeley, and IRIS. Its goal was to provide users interested in seismological data uniform access to information at numerous data centers simultaneously. The software would manage the delivery of the request to participating data centers as well as the data returned to the user. Flexibility and ease of use were to be two paramount issues as this project went into design.

NetDC has taken true form and now finds participation by notable data centers with valuable seismic data (including, so far, Geoscope in Paris, ORFEUS in The Netherlands, and NCEDC and IRIS in the U.S.). Researchers are now empowered with a data gathering tool that takes the headache out of tracking down available seismic information. With a single request, the user can expect to receive the most complete data from primary seismic network sources and have it returned in a convenient format.

NetDC is simple. Access to email and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is all a user needs to benefit from this system. The NetDC system will expedite a request automatically and provide prompt feedback through email notices as the request is satisfied. Data returns can come through email or through FTP.

NetDC is flexible. The request format provides a menu of choices for the type of data requested (like inventory, response and waveform data) and how the researcher would like it returned. Future data products and services will be easily incorporated into the request design as they become available.

NetDC is easy to use. Once a user's request is sent off to any one of the participating data centers, NetDC will make intelligent decisions as to the best data center to satisfy segments of the request. The researcher no longer needs to hunt around various Internet sites to get the data needed - NetDC takes care of that and can even bundle the data into a single package upon return.

For more information on this service, please consult the on-line NetDC User Manual. If you are interested in becoming a NetDC participating data center, please consult the NetDC Technical Manual or contact .

Submitted by Rob Casey, IRIS Data Management Center

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