---
# System prepended metadata

title: Definitions
tags: [Infra-Finder-documentation]

---

# Definitions

*Last updated: 2025-10-03*
* URL for this page: https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/Infra-Finder-definitions
* Open the sidebar [using this link](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/Infra-Finder) to see all Infra Finder documentation.

## Introduction

[Invest in Open Infrastructure](https://investinopen.org/) is developing the [Infra Finder](https://investinopen.org/catalog/) to make available standardized information about core open infrastructure services for the benefit of decision makers and members of the community, and to connect funders and adopters with projects to support.

Information reflected in Infra Finder is pulled from public data sources as well as self-reported data gathered through our **provider intake form**. Please see our documentation on [data sources](https\://hackmd.io/@investinopen/Infra-Finder-background#Data-Sources) for more information.

**Buttons, such as links to pricing or technical user documentation, will only display when we have been able to gather publicly available information for the service.**

## Overview

### Solution Name

A **solution** is a product or infrastructure component. In some cases, the solution may be the same as a provider. Examples of solutions include:

- Open Journal Systems (OJS)
- DSpace
- Figshare
- Kotahi
- arXiv


### Provider Name

A **provider** is a formal or informal organization responsible for running a service. Examples of providers include:

- The Public Knowledge Project (PKP)
- Lyrasis
- Digital Science
- Coko Foundation
- arXiv


### Location

The location from which the service or provider primarily operates or is incorporated.


### Pricing Info

A public link to pricing or fees.


### Get in Touch

Public contact information, typically a link to a contact form or email address.

## About

### Launch Year

The year that the service was first made available to users.


### Record Updated

The date and time at which the record was last updated in Infra Finder. 


### Solution Category

The function(s) that a service is primarily designed to serve. This can be up to three of the following categories:

- **Annotations system:** A tool that allows scholars to mark up and comment on digital works, either individually or collaboratively.
- **Archive information management system:** An application used to organize, control, and manage information about archival collections.
- **Authoring tool:** A tool or platform that facilitates the creation of documents destined for print or digital publication. These tools may provide real-time editing, built-in templates, version control, and support for formats like LaTeX, making them useful for academic and scientific writing.
- **Computing framework:** A collection of reusable software components that make it more efficient to develop new applications or workflows.
- **Computing library:** A collection of pre-written code that can be used to perform specific tasks within an existing software.
- **Data collection or management tool:** Software used to gather, structure, clean, and maintain datasets. 
- **Data management planning tool or service:** A tool or service that helps individuals to write, share and export a data management plan.
- **Digital asset management system:** An application used to store, organize, manage, and share digital files and assets.
- **Digital library, collection or exhibit platform:** An application used to share collections of digital objects and create media-rich online exhibits.
- **Digital preservation service:** A service that provides the series of managed activities necessary to ensure continued access to digital materials for as long as necessary. 
- **Digital preservation system:** A software or platform that provides the series of managed activities necessary to ensure continued access to digital materials for as long as necessary. 
- **Digital preservation tool:** A tool that facilitates any of the managed activities necessary to ensure continued access to digital materials for as long as necessary.  
- **Discovery system:** A tool that facilitates search and retrieval of scholarly content.
- **Federated identity or authentication management:** A secure system that enables user authorization, authentication, and digital identity management.
- **Format conversion tool or service:** A tool that supports the transformation of digital files or metadata from one format to another.
- **Geospatial data tool or platform:** A software or system used to publish, query, analyze, visualize, and/or archive geographic datasets. 
- **Index or directory:** A curated list of resources relevant to a certain audience.
- **Informal scholarly communications:** Digital tools that facilitate activities that occur outside of formal journal publication, such as communication on social media, listservs, or through other digital platforms.
- **Integrated Library System (ILS) or Library Services Platform (LSP):** A software suite that manages core library operations such as cataloging, circulation, acquisitions, and resource discovery.  
- **Media viewer/player:** A tool that allows users to play digital audiovisual content.
- **Open access or subscription management tool:** A tool that helps users monitor and report on the open access status of publications. 
- **Open access policy information compilation:** A curated list of open access policy information.
- **Open scholarly dataset:** An open dataset intended to support scholarly research.
- **Peer review system:** A tool that facilitates the pre- or post-publication review of manuscripts.
- **Persistent identifier service:** A service that maintains a persistent identifier registry and associated tools and services.
- **Publishing system:** A platform that facilitates digital publishing workflows.
- **Repository service:** A hosted digital platform that makes information resources available online.
- **Repository software:** A software that can be used by a community to ingest, manage, preserve, and share digital content.
- **Research profiling system:** Research profiling systems, also known as Research Information Management Systems (RIMS) or Current Research Information Systems (CRIS), “collect and store structured data about faculty research and scholarly activities for one institution, with the intention of repurposing the information in a variety of ways.”
- **Research software community:** A platform that supports open software peer review, training, collection-building, or other functions that support adoption, evaluation, and maintenance of open software.
- **Standard, specification or protocol:** A set of community-accepted rules used by two or more parties to interact or exchange information.
- **Submissions system:** A digital platform or software used by academic journals and publishers to streamline the process of authors submitting their research papers for peer review and publication consideration. They facilitate the efficient handling of manuscripts, including submission, peer review management, and editorial workflow tracking.
- **Web archiving system:** A software or platform that gathers, stores, preserves, and provides access to data that has been recorded on the internet. 


### Service Summary

An overview of the functions of the tool or service and its role in supporting research.


## Mission

### Mission

Mission statement or description of problems the solution aims to solve.


### Key Achievements

A space to showcase the service’s track record and proudest accomplishments. This may include:

- Usage or adoption milestones
- Deployment of major features or new versions
- Staff additions or changes in leadership
- Grant awards or other major funding


## Technical Attributes

### Purpose

To provide basic information for assessing technical compatibility of the service with user's needs.

### Elements

#### Open Code Repository

For **services**, a link to the open code repository, if available. An open code repository should include the source code required to replicate or run the service. Code repositories that _only_ contain plug-ins or community contributions, or that lack critical components for running the service do not meet the criteria for inclusion. Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 


For **standards**, a public link to the full standard, if available.

#### Maintenance Status

The service's maintenance status. Evidence of active maintenance may include regular commits and issue resolutions in a GitHub repository, activity in community and support forums. Options include:

- **Actively Maintained:** Regular security and feature updates.
- **Minimally Maintained:** Essential patching for stability or security issues, but little to no active development of new features.
- **Unsupported:** No active development by the maintainers.
- **Unknown:** The respondent does not have enough information to answer the question.


#### Technical Documentation

A link to technical user documentation, which meaningfully describes the process for users to install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot the code for running a service. In the case of those services not reliant on client installs, documentation should meaningfully describe how users perform tasks on the platform to utilize the service. Documentation may include installation guides, tutorials, manuals, FAQs, etc. Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 


#### Open Product Roadmap

A link to the publicly available documentation the service/standard maintains outlining the priorities and progress for product development. Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 


#### Open API

Link(s) to a publicly available, documented application programming interface (API) that provides developers with programmatic access to the service or its content. Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 


#### Open Data Statement

Link(s) to an open data statement that describes an organization’s commitment to the use and availability of their data for users of the service that allows the data to be accessed to the extent possible. 

#### Content licensing
For solutions that publish content, a list of licenses used, required, or supported by the platform. Current options include: 
* Traditional copyright
* Creative commons license
* Rightsstatement.org licenses
* Other

#### Code licensing used
A link to details regarding the type of code license attached to the tool's primary source code repository.

#### Metadata, markup, and information exchange standards
A list of standards and protocols for metadata description and exchange that the tool or solution supports.

#### Persistent identifier support
A list of persistent identifiers the solution supports. Current options include:
* OpenURL
* Research Organization Registry
* ORCiD

#### Authentication protocols
Authentication protocols the solution supports. Current options include:
* OAuth
* OIDC
* SAML
* WebID-TLS
* WebID-OIDC

#### Security standards
Information technology security standards in active use by the solution. Current options include:
* CIS Critical Security Controls
* Cloud Security Alliance STAR certification
* CMMC Level 2 standards for the protection of controlled unclassified information
* ISO/IEC 27001 information security standard
* NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
* NIST SP 800-171 for the protection of controlled unclassified information
* SSAE 18/SOC 2 certification

#### Preservation standards
Preservation standards supported or used by the solution. Current options include:
* OAIS
* OCFL

#### Metrics standards
Standards supported or used by the solution that pertain to the collection of usage or other metrics. Current options include:
* COUNTER 5
* Make Data Count
* SUSHI


### Hosting Options & Service Providers

#### Hosting Options

Indication of whether the software can be hosted, deployed, configured, maintained, or otherwise serviced by a vendor, whether that be the solution provider or a third party vendor.


#### Service Providers

Link to a public registry of approved third party vendors or to a description of services available through the solution provider.



### Integrations and compatibility

List of tools and solutions with which the tool can readily exchange information unidirectionally or bidirectionally. *The list of possible selections includes the other infrastructures currently in Infra FInder.*


## Community Engagement

### Purpose

To help users evaluate how the service interacts with its stakeholders, including policies that govern stakeholder participation and pathways for stakeholders to contribute.



### Elements

#### Code of Conduct

Link(s) to a code of conduct describes the expectations, norms, rules, and responsibilities for individuals participating in physical and digital communities. It should also provide explicit pathways for reporting violations and indicate how reports will be addressed and resolved. Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 


### Organizational commitment to community engagement

Ways in which the service concretely demonstrates a commitment to community engagement through dedicated resources and programs. This may include staff explicitly tasked with community engagement, evidence of regular community involvement in major decisions, and community-driven governance. In the case of a hosted service, this may apply to the service itself or to the provider. Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 

### User Contribution Pathways

Ways in which community members can meaningfully contribute to the development of the infrastructure. Contribution pathways we currently catalog include:

- **Code:** Contributing to the codebase for software projects
- **Community tools:** Developing add-ons, integrations, or interoperable tools that extend the utility of a software project beyond the core codebase
- **Documentation:** Writing and maintaining tutorials, how-to guides, technical references or other resources that explain how the software or resource operates or how to use it
- **Working / Interest groups:** Joining working groups or interest groups
- **Education / Training:** Providing education or training to other community members
- **Funds:** Making financial contributions to the service or provider in support of its development and maintenance
- **Others**

#### Community engagement activities

Description of and/or links to public documentation of resources or activities dedicated to community engagement. Current options include:

* Staff roles with responsibility for community engagement
* Mailing lists and discussion forums (including Slack)
* Social media
* Blogs
* Webinars and training
* Community calls
* Annual meetings
* Interest, working, user, or advisory groups
* Volunteer or ambassador network
* User research
* Development sprints
* Conference participation


#### Membership program
A link to the membership or sponsorship program that allows stakeholders to financially support a solution or provider on an ongoing basis and may entitle the stakeholder to certain member benefits.

#### SCOSS participation
An indication when the solution has participated in the Global Sustainability Coalition for Open Science Services (SCOSS).


## Policies & Governance

### Purpose

To help users understand how the service makes decisions about its operations and describe the policies that are in place to protect and serve user interests.


### Elements

### Governance Summary

Description of the governance structure of the service, including major partners or sponsors and existence of governing boards and committees.


### Policies

#### Bylaws

Link(s) to public documentation of bylaws or other governance rules that describe how organizational decisions are made and by whom, member rights and responsibilities, and/or other processes and policies relevant to community regulation." Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 

#### Commitment to equity and inclusion

A link to a clear statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion with clear initiatives, programs, or other activities aimed at measuring and increasing the diversity of users, community members, and other key stakeholders. Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 


#### Commitment to Privacy

Link(s) to policies regarding the collection and use of user data or personal information. Privacy policies should indicate whether personal information is ever sold, how users can opt out of data collection, and how the service complies with applicable laws (e.g., [GDPR](https://gdpr-info.eu/)). Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 

<!-- #### DEI Statement

Link(s) to a diversity, equity, and inclusion statement outlines initiatives, programs, and other activities aimed at measuring and increasing the diversity of users, community members, and other key stakeholders. -->

#### Web Accessibility Statement

Link(s) to information about how a service meets web accessibility standards, as well as any known accessibility barriers. Information may also include any formal audits to assess compliance with WCAG or another accessibility standard, links to [VPAT](https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat/) and [HECVAT](https://library.educause.edu/resources/2020/4/higher-education-community-vendor-assessment-toolkit) forms or other accessibility templates. Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 


#### Governance records

Link(s) to publicly-available governance records, including board meeting minutes, records of major decisions, elections, or other indications of an active governance process. Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale). 

#### Governance structure and processes
Link(s) to documentation describing governance, how decisions are made and implemented, and by whom. Selection options are described in the [implementation scale](#impscale).  

#### Transparent pricing and cost expectations
Status and, where relevant, a link to published prices and fees that allows users to meaningfully evaluate the direct costs (if any) associated with using the solution.


## Additional Information

### Organizational History

Brief narrative overview of the history of the service and/or provider or a link to a public document.


### Organizational Structure

#### Business or Ownership Model

The service's legal business structure or formal aims. Options include:

- **Commercial (for-profit):** The service or provider operates with the primary goal of making a profit.
- **Fiscal sponsorship (academic institution):** The service is hosted by an academic institution that provides administrative, financial, and legal support.
- **Fiscal sponsorship (non-profit):** The service is hosted by a non-profit organization that provides administrative, financial, and legal support.
- **Non-profit organization:** The service or provider is an independently incorporated non-profit.
- **Individual maintainer:** The service is run by a single individual and is not formally incorporated.
- **Volunteer community:** The service is run by a group of uncompensated individuals and is not formally incorporated.
- **Intergovernmental organization:** An organization established by a treaty or governed by international law
- **Other**

#### Nonprofit status
Specific non-profit designation or status in the country of incorporation. The list of options represents those currently used by organizations in Infra Finder and those our development team knew about. If we are missing something from this list, please let us know via [our feedback form](https://form.asana.com/?k=_SIAKr0YcFgxdAgWY3fCNQ&d=1204039279428915).
* **501(c)3:** US-based nongovernmental nonprofit for scientific, educational, or similar purposes
* **501(c)4:** US-based nongovernmental nonprofit for social welfare purposes
* **501(c)6:** US-based nongovernmental nonprofit for business leagues
* **Fonde og andre selvejende institutioner:** Nonprofit, independent organizations in Denmark — including charitable foundations, cultural institutions, schools, museums, and hospitals — that operate with their own governing boards and statutes
* **Vereniging zonder winstoogmerk (VZW):** Private non-profit membership association (Netherlands)
* **Association sans but lucratif (ASBL):** Private non-profit membership association (France)
* **Vereinigung ohne Gewinnerzielungsabsicht (VoG):** Private non-profit membership association (Germany)
* **eingetragener Verein (e.V.):** a registered voluntary association in Germany
* **Stichting van openbaar nut (SON):** Private non-membership organization for the common good (Netherlands)
* **Fondation d'utilité publique (FUP):** Private non-membership organization for the common good (France)
* **Charitable trust**
* **Incorporated society**
* **Section-25 company:** Non-profit status specific to India
Autonomous non-commercial organization
* **Non-profit status specific to Russia**
* **Foundation**
* **unincorporated association:** Non-profit status specific to the UK
* **charitable incorporated organisation (CIO):** Non-profit status specific to the UK
* **company limited by guarantee:**
Non-profit status specific to the UK
* **charter organization:** 
Non-profit status specific to the UK
* **charitable company:** Non-profit status specific to the UK
* **community interest company (CIC):** Non-profit status specific to the UK
* **community benefit society:** Non-profit status specific to the UK
* **cooperative society:** Non-profit status specific to the UK


#### Current staffing - Full-time

The current number of full-time equivalent (FTE) compensated employees.


#### Community governance type

The implemented formal or informal governance structures and processes that demonstrate community representation.


## Funding

### Primary Funding Source

Indication of whether the service is primarily funded through program service revenue, contributions or other means. Program service revenue is money that the organization received from charging fees or selling goods or services related to its mission or programs during the year. Contributions include money that the organization received from donors and grantmakers.


### Funding Needs

A description of how community investment can help a service achieve its goals.


## <a name="impscale"></a>Implementation Scale

The implementation scale indicates a solution's progress toward fulfilling criteria. Current options include:
* **Not planning:** The solution has no plans to implement this.
* **Considering:** The solution has had internal discussion about implementing this.
* **In progress:** The solution is actively working towards implementing this.
* **Implemented/available:** There is current, publicly disclosed evidence that this has been implemented and is actively available.
* **Not applicable:** This does not apply to this solution.
* **Unknown:** The individual submitting data cannot say with certainty what the status is.








---

This page first published: 2024-04-05

###### tags: `Infra-Finder-documentation`

---

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