The underlying architecture and tools provided by BVR help ensure the success of the distributed data model by providing structure and clarity to the distributed data network. This structure will allow all members of the biodiversity research community to contribute data, observations and information to the network, with the assurance that their data can be easily searched for, and retrieved by others on the network.

With the advent of the Internet it is now possible to connect individual computers into a worldwide network. The next logical step is to provide a resource sharing mechanism.

The architecture is comprised of:

• An Application Layer providing a rich set of user features;

• A Metadata Engine enforcing standard nomenclatures allowing for the creation of a virtual repository; and

• A Transport Layer allowing for communications between nodes.

Our technology provides users with the tools to create flexible data capture environments while enforcing strict metadata standards.

Data stored in the virtual repository are abstracted from the presentation. This allows for the data to be stored in a consistent, standard format, yet presented to each user in the format or language they wish.

Data contained in the virtual repository is physically stored on a multitude of individual computers. There is no need for central storage and backup since the data can be replicated within the distributed network, making it persistent.

The virtual repository takes advantage of the physical storage device of the individual computers in the network. A network of 1 million computers each contributing 1 gigabyte of disk space would create a virtual repository of 1 petabyte or 1 quadrillion bytes of storage capacity.  No central server architecture could provide such storage capacity.

Quite simply, a distributed data repository addresses the challenges brought on by the use of centralized data repositories. Architected from the ground up to facilitate large-scale data collection, search, integration and analysis – distributed networks are the future.