23 August 1996
This paper describes the architecture of the DODS data delivery mechanism. This mechanism is one of two components that make up the DODS system design, the other being the data locator. In this paper it is assumed that every data set is accessible using an application programmer interface (API). In addition to local data set access, the DODS data delivery architecture provides remote access by replacing existing API implementations (which provide only local access) with new implementations which access data through servers located on the Internet. For each API DODS supports, a client library and data server are created. The client library supports the same functions as the original implementation of the API, but uses a DODS data server to satisfy each function call rather than reading data from a file. The client library and data server communicate using an application level transmission protocol that facilitates translation between the supported APIs. While the data delivery architecture of DODS is not inherently limited to the UNIX operating system, the DODS project has no plan to support other operating systems. It is also important to note that this architecture describes a method for direct access to scientific data.
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This document is written for people interested in implementing software that will be part of, or work in parallel with, the Distributed Oceanographic Data System.
A postscript version of this document is available. You may also use anonymous ftp to access postscript files of all of the DODS documentation.