Self-descriptions are important sources of information in the Gaia-X ecosystem. The machine-readable descriptions of the service offerings, users and service providers strengthen the trust of the participants in each other. A white paper and an online generator now facilitate the creation of self-descriptions.
Innovation through digital sovereignty is the goal of Gaia-X. The goal is achieved by building an ecosystem where data is made available, collected and shared in a trusted environment. Users always retain control over data.
In this regard, Gaia-X collects standardised self-descriptions from all participants. These are machine-readable self-descriptions that are stored in the metadata of the respective products and services, as well as of users and service providers. Such self-descriptions can contain, for example, information such as the address of a company, a specific service description or certificates and labels.
Assistance for the correct use of the self-descriptions in the context of future Gaia-X federations
In order to ensure that these self-descriptions are used consistently and thereby help to strengthen trust in the individual federations and within the entire ecosystem, the Gaia-X Federation Services Project has published a white paper on this subject. The 14-page document is entitled “Self-Description of Resources, Service Offerings and Participants within Gaia-X Ecosystems”. The chapters “Conceptual Model and Self-Description Attributes”, “Taxonomy of Provider, Service Offering and Resource Classes”, and “Governance Process” explain the correct use of self-descriptions in the context of the future Gaia-X federations.
The white paper shows which classes of service offerings can be described and which attributes their self-descriptions can include. To this end, it presents the Gaia-X Working Group Service Characteristics management process, on the basis of which Gaia-X members agree on the specification of these classes and attributes. The paper offers practical tools for carrying out this administrative process and for the work of all Gaia-X participants with self-descriptions. It concludes by pointing out challenges that will arise in the specification and implementation of self-descriptions as Gaia-X evolves, and concludes by looking ahead to the next steps.
The white paper “Self-Description of Resources, Service Offerings and Participants within Gaia-X Ecosystems” is available for download in English and German with an online generator to facilitate its creation.
