Abstract
The Information Technology Services of the Observatories of Sciences of the Universe (OSUs) and associated laboratories are responsible for managing observation data from natural environments (measurements taken by human observers, instruments or sensors). This data management requires various skills, including: * obtaining, transforming, transferring and storing data; * structuring databases, describing and cataloging data (metadata); * analysing, correcting and qualifying data; * providing unique identifiers (e.g. DOI); * viewing, geolocating and disseminating data with strong interoperability constraints (Inspire directive).In this context, it is essential to pool the skills of staff at the national level, identify common requirements and respond to them with a panel of good practices. The SIST technological network is an initiative from several OSU engineers dealing with concrete problems in the field that meets the interest and support from the INSU (French National Institute for Science of the Universe), part of the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research). Its objectives are to: * federate and facilitate a network of computer specialists involved in implementing OSU information systems; * share knowledge and best practices on managing observation data; * maintain a “technological watch”; * encourage collective skills improvement and skills transfer; * promote interoperability in data formats and data exchanges; * establish recommendations on the use of tools or standards; * encourage initiatives resulting from these tools or standards; * coordinate actions and skills in data management; * advise and support the deployment of data management infrastructure; * increase awareness and inform the supervisory authorities about emerging needs and difficulties encountered.