Subcommittee on Interoperability
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Charge for Subcommittee: Decide on a standard that we can use to build a connection to flow data and then demonstrate that ability. We can then improve this ability by incrementally expanding the scope of what is transferred.
Guiding Principles: We should be compliant with OGC (the Open Geospatial Consortium) and GEO (Group on Earth Observations) standards; we should also coordinate to ensure we fit into future plans for the EN (environmental information Exchange Network).
The initial focus will be on air quality data, but we need to also consider metadata and standard names (for things like pollutants/parameters, units of measure, time, and station/site identifiers). The WMO (world meteorological organization) and GEO may be guideposts for this.
Guidance, Tools and 'workspace' for data interop standards WCS and WMS
In order to facilitate the work of the Interoperability Subcommittee, a wiki workspace was set up on the topic of Interoperability of Data systems. This workspace is on the ESIP wiki and will be used to accommodate inter-agency and inter-disciplinary participation.
The primary recommended standard is the OGC Web Coverage Service (WCS) data access protocol.
Ideas on the structure and functionality of the workspace?
- Description and Tutorial on the WCS Interoperability Standard
Here is a screencast on DataFed WCS (5 min WCS, 4 min DataFed app). Also , here is a paper on the topic, and the related PPT. To see WCS live, select a dataset from the DataFed catalog. and then click on the WCS button in the second column, say on the AirNow tabular data WCS link. In the Format field select CSV Table. Click on GetCoverage and a CSV table is returned ... Your browser may invoke Excel to show the table.
What other materials on interoperability should be collected?
Current state of data flow and interoperability between the 'core' data systems
There are several data systems affiliated with EPA, which could be made interoperable using the WCS OGC Standard Protocol. <ask format="ul" limit="100" > +</ask>
Possible Interop tests/documentation among the core network nodes(?)
We also decided that a quick implementation to demonstrate the concept is important to success. Also, having a client that is easy to understand and use it important to show the value of common interoperability work. A spreadsheet with a macro, or a Google Earth implementation was considered.
Managers are concerned with “see / feel / touch”. We need something quick to show managers, an indication of how it works, and identification of what the benefits are. How do you make it tangible? Put it on a spread sheet and tie-up for the broader community. Target Google Earth. Think in service-oriented terms. Identify a client.
In summary, the following are desirable:
- a table of data;
- a list of services;
- questions for EPA managers on types of data transfer;
- a demonstration or something easy to visualize.
Subcommittee Telecons
Following the group recommendation at the March 12 telecon, it was recommended that a subcommittee be formed on interoperability of data systems to address the diversity of interoperable data standards and to make recommendations. Several volunteers agreed to participate, including: David McCabe, Steve Young, Nick Mangus, Tim Dye, and Rudy Husar. The interested data systems should monitor the activities of the interoperability group. The initial activities of the group should include:
- Identify interoperability standards and methods,
- Test and apply these standards to several EPA data systems
- Apply GEO principles and architecture and ESIP venues and community
