Which description best defines Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) in GIS?

• A. A framework of standards that applies only to raster data
• B. A framework of standards, technologies, and policies that enable integration and sharing of geospatial data
• C. A set of tools for digitizing features
• D. A format for storing metadata

Answer: (B)

Spatial Data Infrastructure is about making geospatial data usable across organizations by ensuring that data from different sources can be found, accessed, and used together. It brings together standards that define how data should be described and exchanged, technologies such as data catalogs and web services that enable discovery and access, and policies that govern data sharing and stewardship. Together, these elements support interoperability, allowing diverse datasets to be discovered, retrieved, and integrated regardless of format or source. This is why the description that frames it as a framework of standards, technologies, and policies enabling integration and sharing of geospatial data is the best fit. It isn’t limited to raster data, it isn’t just about tools for digitizing, and it isn’t merely a metadata format.