department of defense handbook guidance for acquisition ... - NAVAIR

MIL-HDBK-29612-1AAPPENDIX BSTANDARD DIGITAL DATAB.1 SCOPEB.1.1 Scope. This appendix provides supplemental information concerning StandardDigital Data (SDD) discussed in 5.2.B.2 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTSThis section is not applicable to this appendix.B.3 DEFINITIONSThe definitions in MIL-HDBK-29612-4 apply to this appendix.B.4 STANDARD DIGITAL DATAB.4.1 Standard Data Elements (SDEs). A data element is a basic unit of information havinga meaning and subcategories (data items) of distinct units and value. Through its name anddefinition, a data element conveys a single informational concept. A SDE is a data element thathas been formally approved in accordance with DoD’s data element standardization procedures.A SDE specifies the characteristics of digital data (e.g., data type, data name, maximum numberof characters, etc.). These characteristics, called metadata, are used to establish the structure ofthe data element for use in, and exchange between RDBMSs. Table 3 defines some of thesemetadata fields, and Table 3 provides an example of a complete Defense Data Dictionary System(DDDS) entity.TABLE 3. Definitions for data element metadata.DATA ELEMENTDEFINITIONMETADATA TYPESDE NameThe long standard name that describes and identifies a given dataelement. Structured name format will consist of a prime wordname and a generic element name.Access NameAn abbreviated name representing a specific data element. Anaccess name is used to reference a data element in a database andmust conform to the syntactical requirements of the databasemanagement system or programming language of the applicationin which a data element is used.66