COSMO implements this feature via a data sharing portal, which contains the dataset structure information with different levels of granularity.

Pros

• Researchers can navigate the dataset files and identify what is relevant to them.

Cons

• A structure for the dataset must be implemented for reflecting it over a web portal so researchers can navigate in an intuitive way.
• Descriptions for individual sections and files need to be created so researchers can navigate the dataset.

Enable data index metadata (MBs) to be downloaded first to identify sections of interest before downloading the main content (GBs, TBs, PBs).

Pros

• Researchers can download parts of the information to quickly determine if it is relevant for their own research.
• Researchers can initiate individual transfers for subsets of the files, which can be resumed if needed, making it easier to access each batch of information faster than downloading a single huge file.

Cons

• The dataset must be structured such that information is usable when downloaded in increments. For example, metadata information should be downloadable per iteration so researchers can examine it to decide if they want to download the rest. This concept can be used for splitting the dataset into smaller chunks, allowing for efficient data download.
• Descriptions for each section need to be solidified so researchers can download the right files.

Enable different options for transferring data. For example, use Anonymous Globus endpoints for supporting direct (HTTP) downloads, and use regular Globus collections for allowing automatic transfers to everyone using a Globus Connect Personal account.

Pros

• Researchers accessing the data have more options to download the data based on their specific environment and resources.

Cons

• Multiple resources have to be installed, configured, and maintained for the full services to be up and running.

By sharing description of the data structures and the relationship between data fields, the users are equipped to access the data efficiently.

Pros

• Users better understand the data fields and the relationships between them.
• Researchers will need less hands-on support for using datasets.
• Thorough documentation eases the burden of knowledge transfer when team members are leaving a project.

Cons

• It is time consuming to write a thorough description of every field in a dataset.
• Any changes that are made to the dataset must also trigger an update for the documentation of all fields modified.

This approach allows researchers to browse and interact with the data via a commonly used programmatic protocol. COSMO includes data endpoints, instructions, tutorials, and a website that allows users to directly query the API from the browser.

Pros

• Researchers are not required to download the dataset to start inspecting the dataset and obtain preliminary results.
• The REST API is programming-language-agnostic so researchers can interact with the information and produce results using the tools they are already comfortable with.
• No storage is needed for transferring and hosting the dataset because the REST API will locally access the remote data and only return the results produced.

Cons

• It takes time to design, implement, and deploy the REST API.
• Depending on the dataset, performance tuning and/or parallelization techniques may be needed to keep response times short.