Data offer types

• REST-API Endpoint. The data will be provided from your backend to the consumer using PULL or PUSH flow.
• Amazon S3
• Azure Blob Storage
• Apache Kafka. Your connector allows your Kafka cluster to stream data to a consumer Kafka client.
• Data offer on request (without data source).

Data offer creation

Data offer wizard

The data offer contains one or more assets (with metadata descriptions) and policies which should be used for these assets. To make the asset creation process easier MDS has invented a Data Offer Wizard, which allows to create a data offer with one asset in a flow, without steps in-between. Please select Create data offer to start the data offer wizard.

Rest-API

Please select the REST-API Endpoint, define the method * and the backend endpoint *. If you are planning to use OAuth2 protected data sources please follow this documentation.

Note: All fields marked with an asterisk here and below are mandatory.

Kafka

If you need more detailed information about the MDS Kafka implementation please read this guide

Please select the Kafka Streaming option and fill in the required fields to configure your Kafka data source.

• Type
  Pre-filled as Kafka Streaming and indicates the streaming source type.
• Kafka Topic *
  The topic from which data will be streamed to the consumer.
• Endpoint URL *
  The Kafka bootstrap server address (e.g., broker1:9092). Used to connect to your cluster.
• SASL Kafka Mechanism *
  The authentication method required by your Kafka setup (e.g., PLAIN or SCRAM).
• Security Protocol *
  Defines whether the connection uses plaintext, SASL, SSL, or a combination.
• OIDC Register Token *
  Token used when your Kafka cluster requires OIDC-based authentication.
• Admin Properties Key *
  Points to the additional Kafka client properties (e.g., security configs) stored in your environment.

Amazon S3

Please select the Amazon S3 option and fill in the required fields to configure your S3 data source.

• Multiple S3 Objects
  Enable this option if you want to expose multiple objects from the same bucket.
  When enabled, you must provide an Object Prefix instead of a single object name.
• Region *
  The AWS region where the S3 bucket is located (e.g., eu-central-1).
• Bucket Name *
  The name of the S3 bucket that contains your data.
• Object Name *
  Required when Multiple S3 Objects is not selected.
  Defines the exact S3 object (file) that will be shared with the consumer.
• Object Prefix
  Required when Multiple S3 Objects is selected.
  Defines the folder/prefix inside the bucket from which all matching objects will be exposed.
• Keyname
  Optional reference to additional S3-related client properties stored in your environment.

This option is suitable for providing either a single S3 object (file) or multiple objects under the same prefix.

Azure Blob Storage

Please select the Azure Blob Storage option and fill in the required fields to configure your Azure data source.

• Multiple Azure Blobs
  Enable this option if you want to expose multiple blobs from the same container.
  When enabled, you must provide a Blob Prefix instead of a single blob name.
• Container *
  The Azure Blob container that holds your data.
• Account *
  The name of the Azure Storage account where the container is located.
• Blob Name
  Required when Multiple Azure Blobs is not selected.
  Specifies the exact blob (file) to be shared.
• Blob Prefix
  Required when Multiple Azure Blobs is selected.
  Defines the folder/prefix inside the container from which all matching blobs will be exposed.
• Keyname *
  A required reference to additional Azure Blob client properties stored in your environment.

This option is suitable for providing either a single blob or multiple blobs under the same prefix within a container.

Data offer on request

To make it easier for new participants to get started within the MDS and to save unnecessary costs for unused data pipelines the MDS invented a data offer type called data offer on request which allowed to add data source to an asset at a later date. Data offer on request also differs from the standard data offers in that it has a slightly different icon in the catalog browser and in the assets overview.

The filter functionality is also implemented in the catalog. It is therefore clear to both the provider and the consumer that the asset is offered on request. The consumer of a data offer on request should contact the provider using the contact mask in order to access the real data source. The provider can easily transform a data offer on request in the standard data offer adiing the data source and vice versa.

To create a data offer on request please select On Request and fill in the required fields.

• Contact E-Mail *
• Preferred Mail Subject *

General information.

Forms for creating data offers vary in the upper part but are the same in the lower part (from general information onwards).

The following fields must be filled in:

• Title *
• Description *
• Data category *

To use more metadata fields please select Show advanced fields. We recommend to use as much optional attibutes for the offer description as possible. The more information you provide about the data offer, the easier it will be for data consumers to find a suitable offer.

Explanations about meaning of metadata fields can be found here.

Policies

At the end of the data offer creation process you can select a publishing option. If you select publish unrestricted the offer will be published with "Free use" policy (visible and available for all MDS participants). Otherwise you can select publish restricted and then you can choose policy you want to have or combine different restrictive policies. The following policies are currently implemented:

• Connector-Restricted-Usage: Your data offer can be consumed only through Connectors you whitelist in this policy.
• Time-Period-Restricted: Your data offer can be consumed within the given time range only.

If you select Create asset only the asset will be created, but data offer will not. As a result, your asset will not be visible in the MDS catalogue or for a consumer connector.

Note: The data offer creation wizard always creates a same policy for the visibility and the availability of the offer. If you want to use different policies for the visibility and availability of the offer please create an asset, a policy and a data offer separately. The same is valid if you want to create a data offer with more than one asset.

Manual approval

The Manual Contract Negotiation Approval feature enables providers to implement human-in-the-loop approval workflows for contract negotiations. Instead of automatically accepting all valid contract requests, providers can review and manually approve or reject each negotiation request.

This feature is essential for use cases requiring:

• Human oversight of data sharing decisions
• Business approval workflows
• Compliance review processes
• Selective data access control

With manual approval enabled:

1. Consumer requests a contract based on an offer
2. Provider validates the request against policies
3. Contract negotiation stops at "REQUESTED" state
4. Provider must manually approve or reject
5. Only after approval does the contract proceed to "AGREED" state

Select Manual Approvals to find all requests from consumers, which need be manually approved or rejected.

If you approve the request the consumer will be able to consume your data offer.

Editing and deleting of data offers and assets

By clicking on the asset you created, you can see the details of the asset and can also edit or delete it, if it has not been used in a contract.

You also have a possibility to transform the data offer of request into the standard data offer and vice versa.

Important note: It is allowed to use the editing feature for small metadata modifications like typo corrections and insignificant additions. You can also change a data source if needed (please don't forget to update the endpoint documentation field if applicable).

The editing feature is not intended for complete changes of the data offer. If you are going to change the data offer or essential parts of the data offer description please create a new asset.