  The Virtual Observatory (VO) is realizing global electronic integration of
astronomy data. One of the long-term goals of the U.S. VO project, the Virtual
Astronomical Observatory (VAO), is development of services and protocols that
respond to the growing size and complexity of astronomy data sets. This paper
describes how VAO staff are active in such development efforts, especially in
innovative strategies and techniques that recognize the limited operating
budgets likely available to astronomers even as demand increases. The project
has a program of professional outreach whereby new services and protocols are
evaluated.

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics