Science metadata is immutable in DataONE. As such, modification involves generating a new science metadata record and indicating that the new record supersedes an existing record, and deletion involves deprecation so that the old metadata record is no longer visible during normal discovery and access.
Figure 1. Sketch of interactions involved in updating a science metadata object. An authenticated user calls the MN_crud.update() operation on a Member Node (A) with a new science metadata document and the identifier of the document being replaced. The update method sets the SystemMetadata.obsoletedBy property of the original document system metadata with the identifier of the new science metadata document (B), and the SystemMetadata.obsoletes property of the system metadata associated with the new science metadata is set to the identifier of the science metadata document being replaced (C). The Coordinating Nodes pick up the changes on the next Member Node synchronization (D). Changes are subsequently propagated to the replica locations.
Figure 2. Use case 04.
Figure 3. Create, update, delete, search metadata or data object in Member Node.
Notes