What makes ACIS Unique?

Multiple Datasets

Most climate data management systems focus on the storage of climate data and, at best, provide the means to access data subsets or simple pre-defined summaries from single datasets. ACIS is unique among climate data management systems because it focuses on producing customer-driven, value-added products that can be easily derived from MULTIPLE datasets. Product quality is assured through rigorous definition of station and individual station element capability through a well-managed metadata database.

Networked/Robust System

Data and metadata archives, product access interfaces, and product generation capabilities using the ACIS system exist at multiple RCCs. These capabilities are linked via the Internet to provide a seamless, robust and reliable product access system.

Distributed Data Management

Products can be generated and delivered to a user by extracting information from multiple RCCs data archives. This feature provides the ability to produce and deliver products that require access to unique regional datasets that may not be maintained at all RCC locations. This 'behind the scenes' management of data resources is a unique feature of ACIS and enables a user to specify a product WITHOUT having to know where the dataset is located.

Benefits

ACIS manages climate data (so you don't have to)

Climate data management is time consuming and labor intensive. In the past, resource managers, decision makers, and researchers struggled to administer local archives of climate information to support their specific needs. ACIS provides this layer of data managment, so that decision makers, managers, and researchers are now free to focus on using climate data, as opposed to managing it. This results in improved decision support and reduction in organizational resources devoted to data management activities.

Climatologists and IT Experts

Beyond physical infrastructure, ACIS incorporates the collective knowledge of Regional Climatologists and Information Technology experts to address the needs of climate data users in a variety of sector-specific disciplines. ACIS is an evolving system that is continually updated with new sources of data, new products to meet specific user demands, and state of the art technologies to deliver these products to users in efficient and cost effective ways.