WMO Information System (WIS) Heinrich Knottenberg Deutscher Wetterdienst Kaiserleistraße 42 D-63067 Offenbach am Main E-Mail: Heinrich.Knottenberg@dwd.de

Contents Background Concept of WIS Impact on and benefit for WMO programmes Future actions Summary WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Current WMO Information System Includes: (A) The World Weather Watch (WWW) Source: Dr Geoff Love, President of CBS, 2001 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Current WMO Information System With its vitally important systems: A (i) The Global Observing System (GOS) Source: Dr Geoff Love, President of CBS, 2001 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Current WMO Information System A (ii) The Global Data Processing System (GDPS) Source: Dr Geoff Love, President of CBS, 2001 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Current WMO Information System A (iii) The Global Telecom- munication System (GTS) WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Information types, formats and transmission systems ASCII SYNOP, TEMP, CREX,... XML ... Binary data formats GRIB BUFR netCDF Graphical formats MPEG GIF Real time meteorological hydrological marine aeronautical Non real time climatological chemical composition agricultural ... Dial-up links Leased circuits Managed data networks Internet Satellite HF Radio, Telegraphy Post .. Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Current WMO Information System And also includes: (B) The multiplicity of Internet-based systems to meet WMO related requirements not met by the WWW Source: Dr Geoff Love, President of CBS, 2001 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Types of WWW Centres NMC RSMC WMC RTH RTH on MTN National Meteorological Centre, e.g., Brasila (Brazil) RSMC Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre, e.g., Beijing (China) WMC World Meteorological Centre, i.e. Melbourne, Moscow, Washington RTH Regional Telecommunication Hub, e.g., Vienna, Cairo, … RTH on MTN RTH on Main Telecommunication Network, e.g., New Delhi, Tokyo, Washington, … Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

World Data Centres (WDC) WDC for Meteorology, Asheville WDC for Meteorology, Obninsk WDC for Meteorology, Beijing WDC for Climate, Hamburg WMO WDC for Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation WMO WDC for Greenhouse Gases WMO WDC for Aerosols WMO World Radiation Centre WMO WDC for Aerosol Optical Depth WMO WDC for Precipitation Chemistry WMO Global Runoff Data Centre ... Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

TRENDS IN INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS Increasing data volumes from remote sensing systems Source: Dr Geoff Love, President of CBS, 2001 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

TRENDS IN INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS Increasing data volumes from numerical weather prediction systems Source: Dr Geoff Love, President of CBS, 2001 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

TRENDS IN INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS The need to integrate different data sets (eg. Data from the GAW network with those from the GOS) Source: Dr Geoff Love, President of CBS, 2001 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

TRENDS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES Exponential growth of the Internet - including global penetration Source: Internet Software Consortium (http://www.isc.org/) , 2003 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

TRENDS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY The opportunity is to take these new technologies and build a logically separate Future WMO Information System (FWIS), using the Internet, which meets the requirements of all WMO programmes for the exchange of meteorological and related data. Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

WMO Congress XIV (2003) “The multiplicity of systems of the different Programmes causes incompatibilities, inefficiencies, duplication of efforts and higher overall costs.” Congress approved the concept of FWIS, which will provide a single coordinated global infrastructure for the collection and sharing of information in support of all WMO and related international programmes. Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Inter-Programme Task Team on FWIS Created in 1998 by CBS-Ext(98), Karlsruhe (Germany) Melbourne (Australia), 1-5 Nov. 1999 Monterey, CA (USA), 28 Aug. - 1 Sep.2000 Langen (Germany), 25-29 Jun. 2001 Johannesburg (South Africa), 23-27 Sep. 2002 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), 20-24 Oct. 2003 Geneva (Switzerland), 22-24 Sep. 2004 Result: Concept, pilot projects Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Cross-programme requirements for FWIS Widely available and electronic (on-line) metadata and data catalogues of all relevant data required by the WMO Programmes Harmonisation of data formats, transmission standards, archiving and distribution mechanisms to better support inter-disciplinary use of data and products. Standard practices for the collection, electronic archival and exchange of metadata, both high-level and detailed, especially for stations and instruments. Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Technical requirements Routine collection and automated dissemination of all observed data and products (”push”) according to requirements. Ad-hoc requests for data and products (”pull”) FWIS should be reliable, cost-effective, modular, scalable, and flexible to support: Different user groups Various data policies, such as WMO Res. 40 and 25 Data as well as network security Integration of diverse datasets Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Virtual structure of FWIS National Centres (NC) Global Information System Centres (GISC) Data Collection and Production Centres (DCPC) Data communication network The names of these virtual centres describe their functionality, not the actual organisational entities. There may be organisations, such as NMHSs, which combine all three virtual centres within one facility. Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

National Centre (NC) Collect national observations “Push” data intended for global dissemination to the associated GISC “Push” data intended for regional or specialised distribution to the associated DCPC Collect, generate and disseminate products for national use. Participate in monitoring the performance of the system Authorize their national users to access FWIS, as appropriate Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Global Information System Centre (GISC) Receive observations intended for global exchange from NCs and DCPCs within their area of responsibility Exchange information intended for global exchange with other GISCs Disseminate, within its area of responsibility, the data and products agreed by WMO for global exchange Hold the data and products agreed for global exchange for at least 24 hours and make it available via WMO request/reply (”Pull”) mechanisms Maintain, in accordance to the WMO standards, a catalogue of all data and products for global exchange and provide access to this catalogue Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Data Collection and Production Centre (DCPC) Receive information intended for dissemination to NCs within its area of responsibility (i.e. regional collection) Collect programme-specific data and products Produce regional or specialized data and products “Push” information intended for global exchange to their associated GISC Disseminate information intended for regional exchange Support access to their products via request/reply (”Pull”) mechanism Maintain data and product catalogues in a WMO-agreed standard format and facilitate access to this catalogue Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Data communication network The data communication network should: be based on an agreed technology available to the participating centres be capable of handling the data volumes include satellite communication channels, terrestrial links and managed data network services handle the agreed transmission protocols Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Information collection data flow Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Information distribution Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

New features Common to all WMO programmes Supporting real and non-real time data sets Supporting “pull” and “push” mechanisms for all data Supporting various communication protocols for data transmission Using different types of communication links as available and appropriate, including GTS, satellites and Internet Using off-the-shelf hardware and software systems Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

FWIS design concepts , NC WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005 Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Other relevant activities EUMETNET UNIDART project development of a meteorological Web portal which will provide uniform access to meteorological data and products through the Internet using Grid services CliWare Russian information system that allows authorized users to access hydro-meteorological data and products over the Internet Earth System Grid US project that enables management, discovery, distributed access, processing, & analysis of distributed terascale climate research data NCAR Community Data Portal DMAC of IOOS US project to acquire and use ocean-related data NERC DataGrid UK e-Science project for accessing environmental information RA-VI VGISC project WIS VPN Pilot Project in RAs II and V Dieter R.Sanek, 2005 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Impact on and benefits for WMO FWIS concerns only telecommunication and data management functions of the WMO and does not affect the data processing components of any WMO Programme. Provision of data and products on the basis of request/reply services would likely be the most significant addition. Programmes would benefit from the services offered by FWIS for the implementation of their data exchange tasks. For individual users, either a person or an institution, FWIS would provide a single entry point for any data request, be it on a routine basis by dissemination of certain user defined information sets or on an ad-hoc basis for a special data set. By making use of off the shelf technologies of a lower cost, FWIS would allow least developed Members, for the first time, to actively participate in the WMO Programmes, specifically the WWW. Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

How could FWIS be constructed? A GISC is a new development (metadata directories, etc.) The NC and DCPC basically already exist and add interfaces for new services A pilot project for GISC development is the RA-VI VGISC project Development of more GISC’s projects, e.g. RA-II project Workshop in conjunction with CBS-Ext(06) Trials of inter-GISC communication after 2006 Phased implementation of FWIS from 2008 onwards Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

RA-VI VGISC Project In 2001, RA-VI decided to create a project for the development of a prototype GISC. The NMSs of France, Germany and the UK have volunteered to jointly design and implement a virtual GISC (VGISC) shared by their Services and to include the ECMWF and EUMETSAT as DCPCs into the concept, funded partially as EU project SIMDAT. A proof-of-concept system was demonstrated during CBS XIII. Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

VGISC Project Overview Steering Group (Geerd Hoffmann, DWD) 2001 VGISC-Definition and -Prototype 2005 (beginning) VGISC-SIMDAT 2006 (mid) 2008 (end) VGISC-Operations WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

VGISC Working Groups Data Policy (Francois Duvernet, Meteo France) Data Management (Steve Foreman, UK Met) Data Acquisition and Dissemination (H. Knottenberg, DWD) Communication (Hans Janßen, DWD) WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

“Pull” request handling WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

“Push” distribution WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

CBS 2005 GISC Prototype DWD: Portal DWD: Push/Pull System DWD: Access to climate time-series data (UNIDART-Project) UK Met Office: XML Metadata / - Data Prototype (Description only) ECMWF: Model Analyses EUMETSAT: Access to EUMETCast Dissemination NCAR: Model Analyses

VGISC Installation at the CBS XIII in Saint Petersburg Client Client Internet Hotel wireless LAN Interactive Client Client VGISC LAN Dissemination DVB Broadcast EUMETCast Receiver MSG Server Ninjo Server Ninjo Client Provided by EUMETSAT (Exhibition Hall)

WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

General SIMDAT Data Grids for Process and Product Development using Numerical Simulation and Knowledge Discovery www.simdat.org funded by the European Commission WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

SIMDAT Application and Technology Application Activities Four sectors of international economic importance: Automotive Pharmaceutical Aerospace Meteorology Technology Activities Seven Grid-technology development areas: Grid infrastructure Distributed Data Access VO Administration Workflows Ontologies Analysis Services Knowledge Services WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

SIMDAT Conceptual View WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

VGISC-SIMDAT Working Groups Project Manager: Matteo dell’ Aqua, ECWMF Virtual Organisations (Lothar Wolf, EUMETSAT) Ontology (Jeremy Tandy, UK Met Office) Distributed Data (Jacques Roumilhac, Meteo France) Grid Infrastructure (Hans Janßen, DWD) WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

SIMDAT VGISC structure Logo WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

SIMDAT Demonstrator To be presented to EU-Commission in November 2005: VGISC-Nodes at the contributing sites DWD: Access to climate time-series data UK Met Office: XML Metadata / - Data Prototype Meteo France: Model Output ECMWF: Model Analyses ECMWF: Observational Data (One Sample Day)

WIS VPN Pilot Project in RAs II and V „CBS XIII was also very pleased to note the success of the first phase of the Virtual Private Network project in Regions II and V, and that the pilot project would be significantly expanded with additional components, including prototype applications, and more participating NMHSs in the years 2005-2006." Participants Macao, China Oman Republic of Korea Malaysia New Zealand Saudi Arabia Vietnam Australia Brunei China Hong Kong, China India Iran Japan WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

WIS VPN Pilot Project in RAs II and V Japan (Simulating DCPC) Vietnam (Simulating NC) India Brunei Korea New Zealand Malaysia Saudi Arabia Beijing Australia (Simulating GISC) Internet Permanent or routine VPN link Hong Kong, China (Pattern A) Test for branch links among a GISC, DCPCs and NCs on routine basis WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

WIS VPN Pilot Project in RAs II and V WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Inter-Commission Coordination Group on FWIS (ICG-FWIS) Created in 2004 by EC-LVI through Resolution 2. Terms of reference: To coordinate the refinement and consolidation of the FWIS based on the approved concept and then the implementation planning phases; To assess in detail the data exchange and data management requirements of WMO Programmes, at present and for the foreseeable future, which should be met by the FWIS; To advise the technical commissions on the development in data-communications and management functions to be required in the FWIS as regards their respective programmes; To guide the orderly evolution of existing WMO information systems towards FWIS; To address the major issues that had been identified. WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Inter-Commission Coordination Group on FWIS ICG-FWIS (First meeting in Geneva, 12-14 January 2005) recommended coordination mechanisms for the FWIS development and future activities: Support of the proposed CBS Inter-Programme Expert Team on Metadata Implementation, Expert Team on FWIS GISCs and DCPCs and Expert Team on FWIS/GTS Communication Techniques and Structure. Strongly supported the establishment of TCs’ Expert Teams that are relevant to FWIS (data-management, metadata, XML, data-exchange) and their mutual cooperation and coordination for fostering consistent and rapid FWIS development Metadata aspects are crucial for the FWIS development and should be quickly consolidated, full endorsement of the WMO Core Profile of the ISO Metadata Standard. Recommendation for organizing a inter-programme workshop on metadata, jointly with CBS/IPET-Metadata, by September 2005 and a workshop on GISC development, jointly with CBS/ET-GISC&DCPC (1 Q 2006) Importance of the development of new Programme’s pilot projects to promote an early introduction of FWIS elements Recommendation to rename FWIS as WIS (WMO Information System) WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Summary The WIS would be used for the collection and sharing of information for all WMO and related international programmes. The WIS vision provides a common roadmap to guide the orderly evolution of the information system functions performed by current WMO Programmes into an integrated system that meets efficiently all of the requirements of Members for the relevant international environmental information. The support and involvement of regional associations and technical commissions is needed, as early as possible, in all phases of the WIS development in order to ensure a full and shared ownership of the project, and its effective implementation. There should be a workshop on WIS in conjunction with CBS-Ext(06) The implementation of WIS needs to be done in a phased approach in order to support the IPY (International Polar Year 2007/2008) and THORPEX. Dieter C. Schiessl, WMO, Feb 2004 WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

The Metadata are the “Core” WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

Thank you for your attention ! WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005

WMO Metadata Workshop 27.September.2005