Currently, data has become the core resource driving innovation and development. The full release of data value requires efficient and secure data sharing between different entities. Among these, interoperability is a key element for achieving data sharing. To realize interoperability, technology-neutral protocols and standards are needed, allowing organizations to share data according to commonly recognized rules and instructions. In the data ecosystem built on the dataspace, all participants implement the same foundational protocols and standards, improving the standardization level of data by establishing and using unified data formats and standards, ensuring compatibility and readability of data across different systems and organizations. The Dataspace Protocol (DSP), published by the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA), is an important initiative for achieving interoperability.
1. What is DSP?
In the dataspace, the focus is no longer on centrally storing all data, but on ensuring that applications can receive and use the correct data in the right way. DSP is a set of rules and standards that define how to share and use data within the dataspace, providing standardized data exchange rules and formats that allow different systems and organizations to share data seamlessly.
DSP defines the architecture and protocols required for entities to publish data, negotiate usage agreements, and access data within the dataspace, aiming to facilitate interoperable data sharing between entities under usage control and based on network technologies, ensuring interoperability among components and participants in the dataspace.
As the core of the dataspace technology system, DSP is promoting the development and application of dataspace globally by providing standardized and reliable solutions. Its influence may be comparable to protocols that shaped the internet, such as the Internet Protocol (IP), transforming decentralized and isolated networks into a globally interconnected network. Similarly, the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standard has fundamentally changed global mobile communication services. Just as these protocols laid the foundation for the internet and modern communication, DSP will also build a more efficient and trustworthy data ecosystem, laying a solid foundation for collaboration and innovation across various industries, bringing new opportunities.
2. Main Content of DSPWhen organizations share data, a common language and architecture are needed to achieve interoperability between different systems. DSP provides the necessary steps for data exchange across different fields and industries, covering data catalogs, contract negotiation, and management of the transmission process.The specific content of DSP includes:
- Terminology and Definitions: Defines the data space model and key terms.
- General Functions: Declares supported versions of this protocol and general data processing rules, etc.
- Catalog Protocol and Catalog HTTPS Binding: Defines how the DCAT catalog is published and accessed as an HTTPS endpoint.
- Contract Negotiation Protocol and Contract Negotiation HTTPS Binding: Defines how to conduct and request contract negotiations via HTTPS endpoints.
- Transmission Process Protocol and Transmission Process HTTPS Binding: Defines how to manage the transmission process using specific data transmission protocols via HTTPS endpoints.
Additionally, DSP describes two planes: the control plane and the data plane.The control plane primarily defines how data flows are organized. At this level, participants can negotiate a contract for data sharing, which essentially serves as the framework for data sharing. If the contract’s requirements are met, data can be shared. If not, data cannot be shared, or can only be shared under specific restrictions. Once an agreement is reached in the contract negotiations regarding data provision, the data plane is activated, allowing data to be shared freely according to the previously agreed contract.3. Progress of DSP’s International StandardizationStandardization is crucial for ensuring seamless and trustworthy data sharing across industries and platforms. Participants in the dataspace need to understand each other; they require a common language and a clear communication structure to facilitate the flow of data sharing. DSP clarifies the content and methods of sharing in a standardized manner, and it is flexible—DSP can be customized according to specific data sharing needs while ensuring interoperability.The standardization process of DSP is accelerating its integration into the international standard system, with IDSA expected to release the DSP 2025-1 version this summer. This version is the final version submitted to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and meets the following requirements:
- It is a stable specification document that clearly defines the functions of the protocol;
- It has a Testing Compatible Kit (TCK) to ensure that the implementation of the protocol is consistent with the standards;
- It describes specific use cases in detail to demonstrate the applicability of DSP in the real world.
Currently, the advancement of DSP 2025-1 is progressing smoothly. Since January of this year, the first version of the TCK has been available. The specification document has also been updated, and in the coming weeks, the TCK will be further optimized. Additionally, this version has improved overall stability, including optimizations and enhancements to URLs, JSON files, and document structures. All updated materials are available in the DSP resource library.The updates and improvements of the TCK are still ongoing, and in the final stages of the project, efforts will focus on refining all components to ensure that the version released this summer meets the standards and advances DSP towards international standards.4. Next StepsIDSA’s main goal is to achieve data sovereignty through the dataspace and promote its widespread application globally. As the standardization of DSP progresses steadily, the next step is to promote its application. Specifically:
- Promoting Application and Implementation: IDSA will collaborate with technology providers, policymakers, and industry leaders to encourage them to promote the market recognition and implementation of DSP. In various promotional activities conducted by IDSA, such as Dataspace Exploration Days, technical lectures, and dataspace dialogues, as well as the extended ecosystem built by partners and supporters, the application and implementation of DSP will be a key topic.
- Certifying Compliant Connectors: When participants’ IT systems connect to the dataspace, connectors are the core technical components that enable DSP functionality. The reliability and interoperability of connectors are crucial for achieving trustworthy data sharing. In the dataspace, the interoperability of connectors is ensured through certification. Since 2022, IDSA has launched the IDS certification program, aimed at rigorously testing and reviewing the technical functionality, interoperability, and security standards of connectors. As the standardization work is completed, the IDS certification program will evolve into an automated testing-based assessment of interoperability modules. By allowing participants to choose from a range of certified connectors, it ensures they can focus on identifying the data sharing use cases that best suit their goals and business development.
While maintaining the stability of ISO standards, IDSA will continue to refine the DSP specification document, actively listen to user feedback, address necessary changes, and incorporate them into future revisions of the standard.5. ConclusionThe evolution of DSP reveals a fundamental trend: the future of the data economy does not belong to “data monopolies” but to an “open ecosystem driven by protocols.” The international standardization of DSP is underway, which means that global data infrastructure is moving towards data sovereignty and shared circulation, bonded by technical standards. Behind the standardization is a beautiful vision shared by the global community for data sharing and collaborative innovation. It is believed that with the promotion of global collaboration, DSP will help various fields achieve innovative breakthroughs and collaborative progress driven by data, injecting strong momentum into the sustainable development of the digital age.References:1. Making the Dataspace Protocol an international standardhttps://internationaldataspaces.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/IDSA-Statement_Making-the-Dataspace-Protocol-an-international-standard.pdf2. Dataspace Protocol 2025-1 on track for ISO submissionhttps://internationaldataspaces.org/dataspace-protocol-2025-1-on-track-for-iso-submission/3. Dataspace Protocol 2025-1-RC1https://eclipse-dataspace-protocol-base.github.io/DataspaceProtocol/2025-1-RC1/Further Reading1. AWS: Data Sharing Services Based on Dataspace2. Microsoft Azure: Deploying Dataspace for Accurate Management of Product Carbon Footprint3. Google Cloud: Collaborative Building of Open Source-Based Dataspace Capabilities4. First Release | Monthly Observation of Dataspace Frontiers [202502 Cloud Initiation Dataspace]5. T-Systems Connector: IDS Certification Helps Build a Prosperous Data Ecosystem6. VTT Connector: IDS Certification Empowers New Paradigms of Data Sharing in Manufacturing
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