Any user can participate in the SAXTA network by downloading and installing the SAXTA user node software. After joining the SAXTA network the participant is ready to place a search query. A SAXTA Super Node will identify user nodes currently on the network that have data matching the query. The searching user node will then directly contact the relevant ‘provider’ user nodes and initiate data download. A key feature of the system is that all metadata (information about the available data) are visible globally within the network, and once discovered, the data itself can be downloaded directly from provider to user. Since all the data within the SAXTA network are online, the process of data ordering and delivery is simplified. SAXTA allows for directly jumping from search to free download of data. It also provides a means to integrate a vast, but dispersed and diffused, population of datasets that do not reside in DAACs or other large data warehouses.

Interaction between the SAXTA Nodes and the user

The user nodes also provide the user with a data sharing mechanism and allow each user to select precisely the datasets they wish to share. From this selection, the SAXTA Software automatically retrieves, extracts and publishes metadata as a collection of records to a set of SAXTA Super Nodes. Once registered into the system, the SAXTA software will allow for the maintenance of the metadata records. This includes publishing new metadata in the system, as well as removing old or erroneously registered records. A critical feature of the system is that the data remain locally hosted and managed by the data provider. Also, the shared data and metadata are only visible from within the SAXTA community where access and participation are strictly controlled.