The ingestion function accepts data from different sources: ground segment reception, processing or data migration elements. The received data is quality checked and metadata including browse images are obtained from the data. The data and metadata form a data product. The product is consistently submitted to archiving and cataloguing.

The instrument calibration function is the determination of parameters describing instrument characteristics. They are to be used by the instruments and ground processing to generate calibrated and comparable physical values. These parameters vary for different instruments and modes. And they may vary over time in the long run (degradation).

IPAs are agreements between ESDIS and projects not managed by ESDIS. Generally, the projects involved agree on an exchange of support services and data. From the interface control viewpoint, these agreements identify the need for an interface and the scope of the interface.

ICDs are used to record design agreements for the interfaces between participating organizations. ICDs provide a means to evaluate and control all mutually interdependent and/or interacting design parameters of the interface.

IRDs define the requirements for data exchanges across an interface between separately managed systems or subsystems. The requirements statements in IRDs are derived directly from project requirements documents.

The ability of different information technology systems and software applications to communicate, exchange data, and use the information that has been exchanged. 

In Earth observation it includes e.g. interoperable discovery and access, i.e. the capability of the user interface and administrative software of one instance of a catalogue service to interact with other instances of catalogue services. E.g. the capability of accessing granules in one data format with APIs or services of another API.

The inventory function provides organization capabilities for archiving management. Data products can be grouped, searched and identified for retrieval, statistics and reorganization. Inventory is also referred to the list of available items stored and/or controlled in a storage warehouse system. 

In this latter case it is necessary to specify the kind of inventory, e.g. ICT Inventory for infrastructure inventory list.