A platform operator that assumes mainly the data-related basic roles Data Provider/Data Consumer and Metadata Broker. Assuming the basic role of a Data Provider or Data Consumer, the Data Intermediary is responsible for the execution of the data exchange on behalf of the Data Owner or User respectively. Providing a Data Consumer with data is, hence, the main activity of the Data Provider. To facilitate a data request from a Data Consumer, the Data Intermediary would provide a Data Broker with proper metadata about the data. Acting as a Metadata Broker, the Data Intermediary stores and manages information about the data sources available in the Allied Data Spaces. An organization offering metadata brokering in the Allied Data Spaces may assume other intermediary basic roles at the same time (e.g. Service Broker, Clearing House or Identity Authority, see below). Assuming further basic roles consequently means additional tasks a participant has to execute. The activities of the Metadata Broker mainly focus on receiving and providing metadata. The Metadata Broker must provide an interface for Data Creators to send their metadata. The metadata should be stored in an internal repository for being queried by Data Consumers in a structured manner. After the Metadata Broker has provided the Data Consumer with the metadata about a certain Data Provider, it is not involved in the subsequent data exchange process.