Add unit tests for data

**Description**
Currently config lacks proper serialization support.

**Proposed solution**
Add configurable serialization with sensible defaults.

**Priority**: Low/Medium

No implementation file or test path is named; begin by locating the configuration and serialization entry points and the existing unit-test layout. The work is complete when configurable serialization has sensible defaults and unit tests cover the resulting data behavior.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.