An Annotated Glossary for Data Commons, Data Meshes, and Other Data Platforms

TL;DR

The paper addresses the lack of standardized terminology across cloud-based data commons, data meshes, and related platforms by presenting an annotated glossary. It assembles definitions from established sources and contextualizes data meshes and data fabrics as evolving architectures with working definitions. Key contributions include curated term definitions, alignment across sources (e.g., Grossman 2018/2019/2024, SAFE Framework, Gen3), and clarification of architectural concepts such as framework services, governance roles, and interoperable components. The glossary aims to enhance reproducibility, interoperability, and shared understanding for researchers and practitioners navigating modern data platforms.

Abstract

Cloud-based data commons, data meshes, data hubs, and other data platforms are important ways to manage, analyze and share data to accelerate research and to support reproducible research. This is an annotated glossary of some of the more common terms used in articles and discussions about these platforms.