A data distribution service is a way for people or organizations to securely share data between computers, without having to use the same computer or network. It works by having each computer, or "node", in the data distribution network store a copy of the data. Then, when someone wants to use the data, they can get it from the computer that is closest to them. This way, it allows people or organizations to access the data quicker and more securely than if it was stored on just one computer.