Project: datamanagement
Issue DM-2316: Clarify expectations for unauthenticated user data access
h4. Short version: Clarify what existing community practices, notably including VO interfaces, appear to rely on the availability of unauthenticated access to information in astronomical archives. h4. Details: At the February DM All Hands, [~frossie] raised an objection when it was mentioned that there is a presumption that all user access to LSST data through the DM interfaces (as opposed to through EPO) will be authenticated. We don't appear to have ever documented an explicit requirement that all access be authenticated. The basic controlling requirement is OSS-REQ-0176, "The LSST Data Management System shall provide open access to all LSST Level 1 and Level 2 Data Products, as defined in the LSST System Requirements and herein, in accordance with LSSTC Board approved policies. ...", which was a carefully crafted indirection at a time when the policy for non-US/Chile access was still being developed. However, this presumption has been around for a long time. It is inherent to the project policy that access to the non-Alert data will be limited to individuals who are entitled to it. No matter what we think the final policy might be, we do have to design a system that can be consistent with this policy. [~frossie] stated that the astronomical community relies on certain types of data and metadata - she mentioned coverage maps, among others - being available through unauthenticated interfaces. This ticket is to ask her (and others) to collect documentation of those existing practices, so that we can figure out what the expectations may be and how to respond to them in our design.
Story points: 2