NIWA National Science Centre for Environmental Information Jochen Schmidt, Chief Scientist Federated Information Infrastructure Problems and Solutions

What is interoperability? Vocabularies Registers Community Services Many use(r)s / portals Many providers Communication enabled through Standards

What is Interoperability? “Portals” are NOT the solution. “Data Warehouses” are NOT the solution. “The Plumbing”, how Databases and Applications “talk to each other” – and most importantly: Standardization of the plumbing! Synonyms: – “Common Data Infrastructure” – “Common APIs” – “Standard Web Services”

Information sharing currently Data collection by many (field teams) Data Archive NIWA Data Archive Auckland Council Data Archive Wellington Council Data User Scientist Data User Council Data User Joe Public Science User R, Matlab, … Data Archive … Resources wasted in negotiation of Data availability Data format Meta data

The 80:(80:20) Rule In the process to using a data set, 80% of the cost is associated with discovering and negotiating access to it. Of the remaining 20%, 80% is taken in understanding, trusting and manipulating the data set into a useful form Meaning only 4% of the total cost is associated with actually using the data set. Discover and Access Understand Use Towards a National Environmental Information Re-Use System Discover Access Transfer Understand\ Trust Transform

Interoperability through open standards Data Collection Standards Data Management Standards Data collection by many (field teams) (to consistent standards!) Data Archive NIWA Data Archive Auckland Council Data Archive Wellington Council Services Stack (Set of Standard Web Services) Data User Scientist Data User Council Data User Joe Public App/Portal ei.niwa.co.nz App/Portal NIWA QMAP App/Portal LAWNZ Multiple Uses Interoperability Data Delivery Standards Science User R, Matlab, … Training / Qualification Standards Data ends up in a set of authoritative Archives to national standards Data ends up in a set of authoritative Archives to national standards Data Archive LAWNZ National Qualification and Training National Standards Data is made available through standard web services Data can be queried through standard web services

Information Sharing in a federated environment NIWA SIMS Stations displayed as part of World Water Online Interface World Water Online Catalogue displayed as part of NIWA Quantum Map

Interoperability in action Sampling points from FBIS Stations from SIMS Background and Rivers from LINZ Sportfields from Wellington Council ALL delivered through standard web services!

Interoperability in action Delivered through open standards in real time: LCDB3 from Landcare Research City Assets from Regional Councils Observation points from NIWA

Federated bio observations data system What do we need in management? Use of (in all ‘linked’ systems): Consistent geospatial / temporal context Consistent meta data (ANZLIC, ISO) Consistent taxa data (NZOR) Consistent observations vocabularies (Darwin Core?) (units vocabulary, parameter vocabulary) _____________________________ These are harder… Consistent environmental feature vocabulary? (e.g. river names, lake names, …) Consistent (institutional?) methods vocabulary? (use (national) standards as reference?)

Federated bio observations data system What do we need in delivery? Use of (in all ‘linked’ systems): Services published through standard registry service incl. metadata! (OGC Catalogue Service for the Web CSW). Data Discovery enabled through standard web services (OGC Web Services WxS). Data Access enabled through standard web services (which?). National / Institutional Vocabulary Services (taxa, methods, …) published. Services linked through bindings as part of standard.