Acts as a metadata broker. It registers Resources [3.0] and provides the client keys [2.3].
The Catalog Service acts as the structural entry point of the ecosystem and enables registration, organization and publishing of the descriptive information of assets and resources. Its function is not storing the data itself but ensuring that each exchangeable resource is correctly described and published under common standards before being able to take part in the data space. From a governance perspective, the catalog materializes the principle of reliable discovery, as none of the resources can be negotiated or exchanged if it hasn’t been previously registered according to the system’s regulations.
This service enables the registration of Resources [3.0], including datasets, APIs, digital services or Artificial Intelligence models, each one paired with structured metadata that enables its technical and legal evaluation. Additionally, it facilitates the supply of client keys [2.3], enabling the cryptographic mechanisms needed for authentication and secure access in coherence with the identity systems and verifiable credentials of the ecosystem.
From a technical point of view, this system is articulated through the Catalog API that exposes the necessary tasks. The functional and technical documentation can be checked here, here and here.
From the governance’s perspective, the catalog has three key purposes:
The Trust Platform that stores the catalog ensures the integrity of the records, the traceability of the modifications and the neutrality among participants. Consequently, it is not only a technical index, but also the infrastructure that enables the start of the ecosystem’s value chain [7.0].
