Services for Astronomical Data Management and Sharing

As part of the AstroGrid-PL project, we have implemented a large scale data management system for the Polish astronomical community within the framework of the PLGrid Plus project, with built-in metadata services, replication and distributed storage based on the well-established iRODS middleware. In parallel, we have implemented the Polish Virtual Observatory, which provides access, search, retrieval and in situ processing for this data using the protocols and standards established by the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA). These standards are already in use at astronomical facilities across the globe, and implementing them within the framework of AstroGrid-PL and the PLGrid Plus project enables us not only to provide advanced data retrieval services to our users, but also to leverage a large body of existing astronomical data analysis software and give our users access to external data resources provided on the same principles.