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The 5 IDSA core assets: the technical and governance foundation of data spaces

We have gathered the official documentation, videos, scientific papers and standards worth knowing to design, run or certify a data space, organised by each of the five core assets of the International Data Spaces Association.

Software in a Box · Selection updated on 11 November 2026 · Resources in English unless stated otherwise

Jump to:IDS-RAMDataspace ProtocolRulebookBody of KnowledgeCertificationIn SpainResearchStandards

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IDSA

What are the “5 IDSA core assets”?

The International Data Spaces Association (IDSA) sums up its work in five core assets. Its members apply them in more than 200 data spaces, such as EONA-X or Catena-X. Real-world experience flows back to IDSA as use cases and improvements, and its experts take it to ISO/IEC and CEN/CENELEC, where it becomes a standard.

IDS Reference Architecture ModelThe reference model: roles, components and layers.Dataspace ProtocolThe common language of connectors.IDSA RulebookThe rules for creating and governing a data space.Data Space Body of KnowledgeThe shared knowledge for training and certifying professionals.IDS CertificationThe proof that a connector complies and interoperates.

When you click, the video loads from YouTube in privacy-enhanced mode and starts at the talk by Silvia Castellvi (IDSA). Our annotated summary of the webinar is in this same section.

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Core asset 1 of 5

IDS Reference Architecture Model (IDS-RAM)

It defines the roles, the components (connector, catalogue, identity provider, vocabularies) and the layers of a data space, with three cross-cutting perspectives: security, certification and governance. Version 4 is stable; version 5 is in draft.

Articles and documentation

  • Documentation
    Technical
    IDS-RAM 4
    IDSA · GitBook

    Full text of version 4: business, functional, information, process and system layers.

  • Documentation
    Technical
    IDS-RAM in the IDSA Knowledge Base
    IDSA · Knowledge Base

    The new edition, framed as a design space with the Dataspace Protocol and the Decentralized Claims Protocol at its core.

  • Documentation
    Technical
    IDS-RAM 5 working draft
    IDSA · GitBook

    Draft of the next version, aligned with the Dataspace Protocol, the Rulebook and the DSSC blueprint.

  • Article
    Introductory
    Understanding the IDS Reference Architecture Model
    IDSA · Blog · 2024

    An accessible explanation of the model's layers and how the architecture working group maintains it.

Videos

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Core asset 2 of 5

Dataspace Protocol (DSP)

It specifies how connectors communicate: catalogue publication (DCAT), contract negotiation with ODRL policies and the transfer process. Since 2024 it has been governed by the Eclipse Dataspace Working Group; version 2025-1 is stable, has a compatibility test kit and is progressing at ISO as ISO/IEC 26450.

Articles and documentation

Videos

3
Core asset 3 of 5

IDSA Rulebook

It brings together the functional, technical, operational and legal requirements for creating and running a data space. It separates what is mandatory from what is optional and introduces the data space governance authority. The 2026-1 edition is the current reference.

Articles and documentation

Videos

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Core asset 4 of 5

Data Space Body of Knowledge (DSBoK)

It is the shared knowledge underpinning IDSA's professional qualification programme, from the Fundamentals level to the business and technical consultant profiles. It is taught by authorised training providers; in Spain, by SQS, with exams managed by BAIDATA.

Articles and documentation

Videos

  • Video
    Introductory
    IDSA Q&A Session: your essential guide to data spaces
    YouTube · IDSA Q&A Session · 2025-02

    Questions and answers on how to take part and train in the IDSA ecosystem. There is no video devoted solely to the Body of Knowledge: its content is taught in the authorised courses.

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Core asset 5 of 5

IDS Certification

It certifies connectors and operational environments for functionality, interoperability and security, with reference to IEC 62443. It has assurance levels, starting with a checklist-based self-assessment, and with the Dataspace Protocol 2025-1 it adds automated interoperability testing.

Articles and documentation

Videos

ES
In Spanish · Spain

Data spaces in Spain: resources in Spanish

Spain applies these standards through its Plan to Promote Sectoral Data Spaces, worth 500 million euros. SEDIA leads it, the Data Spaces Reference Centre (CRED) supports it with guides and technical frameworks, Red.es manages the Data Spaces Kit grants and UNE has published the first Spanish standard, UNE 0087:2025. All resources in this section are in Spanish.

Articles and documentation

Videos

Research

Scientific papers and open-access books

The academic literature that explains where these assets come from and assesses how they work in practice. We have not found scientific work devoted exclusively to the Body of Knowledge.

Standardisation

From IDSA assets to standards

The reference model, the Rulebook and the Dataspace Protocol feed into ISO/IEC 20151, 26450 and 26451 and into the work of CEN-CENELEC JTC 25, which has already published EN 18235-1:2026 on trusted data transactions.

Does your data space already speak these standards?

We design and deploy data spaces with Eclipse connectors, the Dataspace Protocol, ODRL contracts and verifiable credentials. It is the architecture we applied in Global Data Care, PROCUREDATA and EcoDataNet.

Let's talk about your data space

Selection by Software in a Box. Links lead to the original sources; titles are kept in their original language. If you think a resource is missing, let us know.