Datastream
The datastream is the name of the Cylon central computer network[1].
A datastream is first seen in a Cylon facility on occupied New Caprica, where the Colonial launch keys are held. Sharon Agathon uses her Cylon abilities to access the datastream to grant her access to the key's storage area (Exodus, Part I).
On a basestar, the datastream is literally composed of a stream of clear liquid, which is used in whole or in part as a transmission medium, a storage medium, or both.
Several Cylon agents are seen using interfaces in a basestar's command and control center that consist of a illuminated panel covered by a thin layer of clear liquid, suggesting that the liquid may serve as both "display" and "input device" as an agent interfaces the datastream. This behavior is reinforced by the comparative lack of visual displays throughout the command and control center. All information appears to come from these liquid data interfaces.
The interfaces are normally used by the Cylons by placing their hand on the interface, making contact with the illuminated base and the thin liquid layer, which activates the data ports within their arm. The interfaces can also be configured to show visual information such as still photography, such as the photos taken by Gaius Baltar during his exploration of a dying basestar that makes a reconnaissance mission to the Lion's Head Nebula (Torn).
The basestar's central computer, the Hybrid, rests within a pool of liquid, connected to many conduits below the surface. Clear liquid drips on the Hybrid from above the pool, suggesting that data might be relayed to the Hybrid from the water surrounding and falling upon her in some fashion.
Athena accompanies fellow members of a Colonial boarding party that investigates a basestar that is found disabled in space. She instructs others to place "SSR leads" in a pool of clear liquid as she attempts to access the basestar's computer database, hoping to make a data dump from the basestar to a Colonial data storage device.
Datapoints[2] are either database records or specific subdatabases in the datastream. On New Caprica, Sharon "Athena" Agathon indicates to the resistance that the datapoints indicated that that launch keys she retrieved were not damaged. Some time later, on a disabled basestar, Athena attempts to access the basestar's datastream and finds its datapoints severely corroded, suggesting that the datastream (and datapoints) have an organic element that is as equally susceptible to damage as the Cylon agents.
After living Cylon agents are found and information on the ship's infection is discovered, the boarding team appears to abort their information gathering attempt (A Measure of Salvation).
References
- ↑ Computer networks on the real-world Earth are very complex and come in many different designs. Computer specialists should note that the series tends not to provide detailed explanations of the nature of technology to drive the episode plot. The datastream's network topology or network design is unknown.
- ↑ The source for datapoints is based on their use in context in the episode "Exodus, Part I" and "A Measure of Salvation."