The original idea of IDSC was the result of an intensive discussion among a group of German economists, including IZA Director K. F. Zimmermann, about developing a broader data infrastructure to better serve the scientific community. It was commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the commission to improve the informational infrastructure by co-operation of the scientific community and official statistics (KVI), which made several recommendations on how to improve the informational data infrastructure in Germany. Several research data centers and service data centers have been organized based upon these recommendations, of which the only one representing labor economics was IdZA (IDSC's predecessor). After a successful evaluation of the first 3 year long pilot phase, which started in 2003, a second phase of financing was awarded to IZA (2008-2010). IDSC in its new form represents IZA's continual commitment to the field.