Identification netCDF 2. We wanted a convenient, standard, self-describing, platform independent format for our data transport. We use netCDF for level 1A and 1B and higher level presentations of data.
Object types are time series and multivariate distributions derived from the radar data.
We have been able to support netCDf very easily ourselves. I and my several grad students have all successfully installed and used netCDF software tools, and libraries. Our preferred environment is Linux. We have also used Solaris. For a variety of reasons MS operating systems are not acceptable for this project.