Rather than emphasizing the indexing of data by ancillary characteristics, the SDDAS stresses the ability to visualize and analyze data quickly. The SDDAS has provided the developers with many useful lessons learned in the arena of space physics data systems. The developers feel that a strong case can be made that large, centralized facilities offering a fixed set of abilities will not adequately support space science in the 1990s and beyond. The SDDAS approach is adaptable to advances in computer technology, thus giving the scientist a toolbox that can bridge the gap between data and scientific insight...
The SDDAS is built on a client/server model used by many systems. The client side contains the graphical and analysis tools, catalog subsystem, and user interface. The server side maintains the data archive and provides data granules (files) to the client side.