e-IRG Blue Paper on Data Management

In the emerging era of Open Science, research infrastructures, such as the ESFRI projects, play a fundamental role as major data production factories. For science to function effectively, and for society to reap the full benefits from scientific endeavours, scientific data must be made open . Openness and sharing of data allows value creation in terms of new knowledge, products and ideas through re-using, re-purposing or computing of the data. There can of course be some limitations to complete openness induced by personal data protection, security or private investments. Still, the general principle of open science is now being embraced by a growing number of funding agencies worldwide, including the European Commission [EC]. e-Infrastructures provide the tools for creating the added value from data, as well as the technologies for implementing appropriate security and data protection policies. These digital tools include high-speed internet for connecting people and data, powerful computing facilities for analysis and modelling, as well as the technologies that allow the combined use of digitally enabled resources. The purpose of this Blue Paper is to describe some basic data management principles for research infrastructures so as to facilitate the future use of the data produced in the best interest of the general public. The e-Infrastructure Reflection Group (e-IRG) is working towards a vision of an open e- Infrastructure that enables flexible cooperation and optimal use of all electronically available resources. A first Blue Paper to ESFRI was published in 2010, describing the ways ESFRI projects and their users can engage and exploit common e-Infrastructure services to satisfy their requirements. This Blue Paper focuses on cross-cutting themes for all research infrastructures related to data management. We believe that implementation of the recommendations given in this Blue Paper will significantly contribute to an increased return on public investments in research infrastructures through easy and secure access to the data produced, improved reliability and searchability, as well as interoperability with other elements of a global data infrastructure