Terminology

General Terms

Community of PracticeA term coined to capture an "activity system" that includes individuals who are united in action and in the meaning that "action" has for them and for the larger collective. The communities of practice are "virtual", ''i.e.'', they are not formal structures, such as departments or project teams. Instead, these communities exist in the minds of their members, are glued together by the connections they have with each other, as well as by their specific shared problems or areas of interest. The generation of knowledge in communities of practice occurs when people participate in problem solving and share the knowledge necessary to solve the problems.

A term coined to capture an "activity system" that includes individuals who are united in action and in the meaning that "action" has for them and for the larger collective. The communities of practice are "virtual", i.e., they are not formal structures, such as departments or project teams. Instead, these communities exist in the minds of their members, are glued together by the connections they have with each other, as well as by their specific shared problems or areas of interest. The generation of knowledge in communities of practice occurs when people participate in problem solving and share the knowledge necessary to solve the problems.

CoPCommunity of Practice.

Community of PracticeA term coined to capture an "activity system" that includes individuals who are united in action and in the meaning that "action" has for them and for the larger collective. The communities of practice are "virtual", ''i.e.'', they are not formal structures, such as departments or project teams. Instead, these communities exist in the minds of their members, are glued together by the connections they have with each other, as well as by their specific shared problems or areas of interest. The generation of knowledge in communities of practice occurs when people participate in problem solving and share the knowledge necessary to solve the problems..

D4ScienceAn e-Infrastructure operated by the D4Science.org initiative.

An e-InfrastructureAn operational combination of digital technologies (hardware and software), resources (data and services), communications (protocols, access rights and networks), and the people and organizational structures needed to support research efforts and collaboration in the large. operated by the D4ScienceAn e-Infrastructure operated by the D4Science.org initiative..org initiative.

e-InfrastructureAn operational combination of digital technologies (hardware and software), resources (data and services), communications (protocols, access rights and networks), and the people and organizational structures needed to support research efforts and collaboration in the large.

An operational combination of digital technologies (hardware and software), resources (data and services), communications (protocols, access rights and networks), and the people and organizational structures needed to support research efforts and collaboration in the large.

Virtual Research EnvironmentA ''system'' with the following distinguishing features: ''(i)'' it is a Web-based working environment; ''(ii)'' it is tailored to serve the needs of a Community of Practice; ''(iii)'' it is expected to provide a community of practice with the whole array of commodities needed to accomplish the community’s goal(s); ''(iv)'' it is open and flexible with respect to the overall service offering and lifetime; and ''(v)'' it promotes fine-grained controlled sharing of both intermediate and final research results by guaranteeing ownership, provenance, and attribution.

A system with the following distinguishing features: (i) it is a Web-based working environment; (ii) it is tailored to serve the needs of a Community of PracticeA term coined to capture an "activity system" that includes individuals who are united in action and in the meaning that "action" has for them and for the larger collective. The communities of practice are "virtual", ''i.e.'', they are not formal structures, such as departments or project teams. Instead, these communities exist in the minds of their members, are glued together by the connections they have with each other, as well as by their specific shared problems or areas of interest. The generation of knowledge in communities of practice occurs when people participate in problem solving and share the knowledge necessary to solve the problems.; (iii) it is expected to provide a community of practice with the whole array of commodities needed to accomplish the community’s goal(s); (iv) it is open and flexible with respect to the overall service offering and lifetime; and (v) it promotes fine-grained controlled sharing of both intermediate and final research results by guaranteeing ownership, provenance, and attribution.

Virtual OrganizationA dynamic set of individuals or institutions defined around a set of resource-sharing rules and conditions. All these virtual organizations share some commonality among them, including common concerns and requirements, but may vary in size, scope, duration, sociology, and structure.

A dynamic set of individuals or institutions defined around a set of resource-sharing rules and conditions. All these virtual organizations share some commonality among them, including common concerns and requirements, but may vary in size, scope, duration, sociology, and structure.

VOVirtual Organization;

Virtual OrganizationA dynamic set of individuals or institutions defined around a set of resource-sharing rules and conditions. All these virtual organizations share some commonality among them, including common concerns and requirements, but may vary in size, scope, duration, sociology, and structure.;

VREVirtual Research Environment.

Virtual Research EnvironmentA ''system'' with the following distinguishing features: ''(i)'' it is a Web-based working environment; ''(ii)'' it is tailored to serve the needs of a Community of Practice; ''(iii)'' it is expected to provide a community of practice with the whole array of commodities needed to accomplish the community’s goal(s); ''(iv)'' it is open and flexible with respect to the overall service offering and lifetime; and ''(v)'' it promotes fine-grained controlled sharing of both intermediate and final research results by guaranteeing ownership, provenance, and attribution..

Technologies-related Terms

GHNgCube Hosting Node.

gCube Hosting Node.

VOMSVirtual Organization Membership Service.

Virtual OrganizationA dynamic set of individuals or institutions defined around a set of resource-sharing rules and conditions. All these virtual organizations share some commonality among them, including common concerns and requirements, but may vary in size, scope, duration, sociology, and structure. Membership Service.

WCSWeb Coverage Service

Web Coverage ServiceSupports the networked interchange of geospatial data as "coverages" containing values or properties of geographic locations. Unlike the Web Map Service, which returns static maps (server-rendered as pictures), the Web Coverage Service provides access to intact (unrendered) geospatial information.

Web Coverage ServiceSupports the networked interchange of geospatial data as "coverages" containing values or properties of geographic locations. Unlike the Web Map Service, which returns static maps (server-rendered as pictures), the Web Coverage Service provides access to intact (unrendered) geospatial information.

Supports the networked interchange of geospatial data as "coverages" containing values or properties of geographic locations. Unlike the Web Map Service, which returns static maps (server-rendered as pictures), the Web Coverage ServiceSupports the networked interchange of geospatial data as "coverages" containing values or properties of geographic locations. Unlike the Web Map Service, which returns static maps (server-rendered as pictures), the Web Coverage Service provides access to intact (unrendered) geospatial information. provides access to intact (unrendered) geospatial information.

Web Feature ServiceOpenGIS Specification that supports INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, QUERY and DISCOVERY of geographic features. WFS delivers GML representations of simple geospatial features in response to queries from HTTP clients. Clients access geographic feature data through WFS by submitting a request for just those features that are needed for an application.

OpenGIS Specification that supports INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, QUERY and DISCOVERY of geographic features. WFSWeb Feature Service delivers GML representations of simple geospatial features in response to queries from HTTP clients. Clients access geographic feature data through WFSWeb Feature Service by submitting a request for just those features that are needed for an application.

Web Mapping ServiceOpenGIS Specification that standardizes the way in which Web clients request maps. Clients request maps from a WMS instance in terms of named layers and provide parameters such as the size of the returned map as well as the spatial reference system to be used in drawing the map.

OpenGIS Specification that standardizes the way in which Web clients request maps. Clients request maps from a WMSSee Workload Management System or Web Mapping Service. instance in terms of named layers and provide parameters such as the size of the returned map as well as the spatial reference system to be used in drawing the map.

Web ServiceSelf-contained, self-describing, modular application that can be published, located, and invoked across the Web. Web services perform functions that can be anything from simple requests to complicated business processes. Once a Web service is deployed, other applications (and other Web services) can discover and invoke the deployed service.

Self-contained, self-describing, modular application that can be published, located, and invoked across the Web. Web services perform functions that can be anything from simple requests to complicated business processes. Once a Web service is deployed, other applications (and other Web services) can discover and invoke the deployed service.

WFSWeb Feature Service

Web Feature ServiceOpenGIS Specification that supports INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, QUERY and DISCOVERY of geographic features. WFS delivers GML representations of simple geospatial features in response to queries from HTTP clients. Clients access geographic feature data through WFS by submitting a request for just those features that are needed for an application.

WMSSee Workload Management System or Web Mapping Service.

See Workload Management System or Web Mapping ServiceOpenGIS Specification that standardizes the way in which Web clients request maps. Clients request maps from a WMS instance in terms of named layers and provide parameters such as the size of the returned map as well as the spatial reference system to be used in drawing the map..