diff --git a/.github/workflows/clang-compile-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/clang-compile-tests.yml
index 379ae4946..873cef99b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/clang-compile-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/clang-compile-tests.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: clang-format
       run: |
 
-        sudo apt-get update
+        sudo apt update
         sudo apt install clang-format
         cd core/src
         clang-format --dry-run -Werror *cpp include/*hpp
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: run serial tests
       run: |
         . /opt/spack-environment/activate.sh
+        apt update
         apt install -y wget
         cd build
         (cd core/test && wget "ftp://ftp.nersc.no/nextsim/netCDF/partition_metadata_1.nc")
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: run MPI tests
       run: |
         . /opt/spack-environment/activate.sh
+        apt update
         apt install -y wget
         cd build
         (cd core/test && wget "ftp://ftp.nersc.no/nextsim/netCDF/partition_metadata_1.nc")
diff --git a/core/src/ModelMetadata.cpp b/core/src/ModelMetadata.cpp
index c76d426ce..d30597ec6 100644
--- a/core/src/ModelMetadata.cpp
+++ b/core/src/ModelMetadata.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*!
  * @file ModelMetadata.cpp
  *
- * @date Jun 29, 2022
+ * @date 21 August 2024
  * @author Tim Spain <timothy.spain@nersc.no>
  */
 
@@ -49,14 +49,14 @@ void ModelMetadata::getPartitionMetadata(std::string partitionFile)
             + std::to_string(nBoxes) + "\n";
         throw std::runtime_error(errorMsg);
     }
-    globalExtentX = ncFile.getDim("globalX").getSize();
-    globalExtentY = ncFile.getDim("globalY").getSize();
+    globalExtentX = ncFile.getDim("NX").getSize();
+    globalExtentY = ncFile.getDim("NY").getSize();
     netCDF::NcGroup bboxGroup(ncFile.getGroup(bboxName));
     std::vector<size_t> index(1, mpiMyRank);
-    bboxGroup.getVar("global_x").getVar(index, &localCornerX);
-    bboxGroup.getVar("global_y").getVar(index, &localCornerY);
-    bboxGroup.getVar("local_extent_x").getVar(index, &localExtentX);
-    bboxGroup.getVar("local_extent_y").getVar(index, &localExtentY);
+    bboxGroup.getVar("domain_x").getVar(index, &localCornerX);
+    bboxGroup.getVar("domain_y").getVar(index, &localCornerY);
+    bboxGroup.getVar("domain_extent_x").getVar(index, &localExtentX);
+    bboxGroup.getVar("domain_extent_y").getVar(index, &localExtentY);
     ncFile.close();
 }
 
diff --git a/core/test/partition_metadata_2.cdl b/core/test/partition_metadata_2.cdl
index c500e440e..0c9abc2f5 100644
--- a/core/test/partition_metadata_2.cdl
+++ b/core/test/partition_metadata_2.cdl
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 netcdf partition_metadata_2 {
 dimensions:
-	globalX = 10 ;
-	globalY = 9 ;
+	NX = 10 ;
+	NY = 9 ;
 	P = 2 ;
 	T = 1 ;
 	B = 1 ;
@@ -10,19 +10,19 @@ dimensions:
 
 group: bounding_boxes {
   variables:
-  	int global_x(P) ;
-  	int global_y(P) ;
-  	int local_extent_x(P) ;
-  	int local_extent_y(P) ;
+  	int domain_x(P) ;
+  	int domain_y(P) ;
+  	int domain_extent_x(P) ;
+  	int domain_extent_y(P) ;
   data:
 
-   global_x = 0, 4 ;
+   domain_x = 0, 4 ;
 
-   global_y = 0, 0 ;
+   domain_y = 0, 0 ;
 
-   local_extent_x = 4, 6 ;
+   domain_extent_x = 4, 6 ;
 
-   local_extent_y = 9, 9 ;
+   domain_extent_y = 9, 9 ;
   } // group bounding_boxes
 
 group: connectivity {
diff --git a/core/test/partition_metadata_3.cdl b/core/test/partition_metadata_3.cdl
index 79127adc6..b70696991 100644
--- a/core/test/partition_metadata_3.cdl
+++ b/core/test/partition_metadata_3.cdl
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 netcdf partition_metadata_3 {
 dimensions:
-	globalX = 5 ;
-	globalY = 7 ;
+	NX = 5 ;
+	NY = 7 ;
 	P = 3 ;
 	T = 2 ;
 	B = 2 ;
@@ -10,19 +10,19 @@ dimensions:
 
 group: bounding_boxes {
   variables:
-  	int global_x(P) ;
-  	int global_y(P) ;
-  	int local_extent_x(P) ;
-  	int local_extent_y(P) ;
+  	int domain_x(P) ;
+  	int domain_y(P) ;
+  	int domain_extent_x(P) ;
+  	int domain_extent_y(P) ;
   data:
 
-   global_x = 0, 0, 3 ;
+   domain_x = 0, 0, 3 ;
 
-   global_y = 0, 3, 0 ;
+   domain_y = 0, 3, 0 ;
 
-   local_extent_x = 3, 3, 2 ;
+   domain_extent_x = 3, 3, 2 ;
 
-   local_extent_y = 3, 4, 7 ;
+   domain_extent_y = 3, 4, 7 ;
   } // group bounding_boxes
 
 group: connectivity {
diff --git a/run/partition.cdl b/run/partition.cdl
index f19b3b154..e7db9d3f1 100644
--- a/run/partition.cdl
+++ b/run/partition.cdl
@@ -3,24 +3,24 @@ netcdf partition {
 dimensions:
         P = 1 ;
         L = 1 ;
-        globalX = 30 ;
-        globalY = 30 ;
+        NX = 30 ;
+        NY = 30 ;
 
 group: bounding_boxes {
   variables:
-        int global_x(P) ;
-        int global_y(P) ;
-        int local_extent_x(P) ;
-        int local_extent_y(P) ;
+        int domain_x(P) ;
+        int domain_y(P) ;
+        int domain_extent_x(P) ;
+        int domain_extent_y(P) ;
   data:
 
-   global_x = 0 ;
+   domain_x = 0 ;
 
-   global_y = 0 ;
+   domain_y = 0 ;
 
-   local_extent_x = 30 ;
+   domain_extent_x = 30 ;
 
-   local_extent_y = 30 ;
+   domain_extent_y = 30 ;
   } // group bounding_boxes
 }
 
diff --git a/run/partition_metadata_2.cdl b/run/partition_metadata_2.cdl
index 12000f53a..226739429 100644
--- a/run/partition_metadata_2.cdl
+++ b/run/partition_metadata_2.cdl
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 // partition_metadata_2.cdl
 netcdf partition_metadata_2 {
 dimensions:
-	globalX = 30 ;
-	globalY = 30 ;
+	NX = 30 ;
+	NY = 30 ;
 	P = 2 ;
 	T = UNLIMITED ; // (0 currently)
 	B = UNLIMITED ; // (0 currently)
@@ -11,19 +11,19 @@ dimensions:
 
 group: bounding_boxes {
   variables:
-  	int global_x(P) ;
-  	int global_y(P) ;
-  	int local_extent_x(P) ;
-  	int local_extent_y(P) ;
+  	int domain_x(P) ;
+  	int domain_y(P) ;
+  	int domain_extent_x(P) ;
+  	int domain_extent_y(P) ;
   data:
 
-   global_x = 0, 0 ;
+   domain_x = 0, 0 ;
 
-   global_y = 0, 16 ;
+   domain_y = 0, 16 ;
 
-   local_extent_x = 30, 30 ;
+   domain_extent_x = 30, 30 ;
 
-   local_extent_y = 16, 14 ;
+   domain_extent_y = 16, 14 ;
   } // group bounding_boxes
 
 group: connectivity {