Introduction

In the realm of both scientific research and production environments, efficiently managing and utilizing metadata is crucial. Metadata serves as the backbone for data discovery, organization, and retrieval, enabling effective data usage across various fields. This is particularly important in areas like Earth Observation (EO), where vast amounts of satellite data need to be processed and analysed to monitor and understand our planet.

The DaFab project, an ambitious initiative, aims to enhance the exploitation of Copernicus data through advanced AI and High-Performance Computing (HPC) technologies. By integrating these technologies, DaFab seeks to improve the timeliness, accuracy, and accessibility of EO data. At the heart of this endeavour lies Rucio, a robust data management system developed by CERN. Rucio’s role is pivotal in achieving key objectives of the project such as creating a unified, searchable catalogue of interlinked EO metadata, improving metadata ingestion and retrieval speeds, and facilitating seamless integration with AI-driven workflows and HPC systems.