Snapshot metadata
Snapshot metadata records when and under what collection context .auDO observed a domain.
What .auDO records
Time, run and source context
Metadata establishes the freshness and identity of a point-in-time snapshot. It supports comparison windows and evidence traceability rather than describing trust posture.
Technical fields
Why it is recorded
Point-in-time evidence needs an explicit clock
Why it matters
Collection time and run identity help explain freshness, sequence and whether evidence belongs to the same observation cycle.
What a metadata difference may mean
A difference may reflect a new run, source fallback, availability change, collector update or normal evidence refresh.
Interpretation limits
Metadata is not a posture judgement
Metadata describes collection context. It does not establish the quality of an organisation's controls or explain why a public domain record changed.
Where to use this reference
Understand freshness and comparison context
Related evidence context