Infrastructure Data Management

Definition
Infrastructure Data Management (IDM) is

"[a] set of integrated applications, processes and services that provide the capability for producers and users to locate, retrieve, and send/receive information by the most effective and efficient means in a manner consistent with a commander’s policy. The fundamental IDM services, as identified in the IDM CRD, are information awareness, information access, information delivery and IDM support. Through the four services, IDM provides awareness of, access to, and delivery of information across the GIG based on the priority of information flows set by the commander’s dissemination policy, infrastructure availability, and security policies (joint and combined). The value of IDM increases as the access to information increases and the hierarchical relationships of information flow control are well established between the commanders within and between AORs. Additionally, the value of IDM increases as the user’s specific information requirements are articulated, because the information producers can be more proactive and efficient in satisfying these requirements. IDM dependencies include robustness of the networks/communications transmission pathways, the systems on which IDM will reside, and the standardization of data, databases, and data description (metadata)."