1. A System of Systems for Earth Observation: The Architecture of GEOSS ADC Meeting, Seattle, WA July 20, 2006

2. GEOSS The success of GEOSS rests on users and their communities
To be successful, GEO should:
Engage users in the nine societal benefit areas
Engage a continuum from users to providers
Identify existing inventories of user requirements and gaps and prioritize them
Be open to all interested participants

3. Three USER perceptions of GEOSS Data Management Systems
Modeling, and
Data Management Systems
Disaster
Health
Energy
Climate
The Nine
Socio Benefit Areas
This picture shows ministers and representatives of the participated countries and organizations in the 3rd Earth Observation Summit held in Brussels on February 16, 2005.
Representatives of around 60 nations and over 40 international organisations will endorse a 10-year plan with concrete steps towards comprehensive co-operation in Earth observation.
Over the next decade, this system will increase our understanding of the Earth and how it works. With benefits as broad as the planet itself, this initiative promises to make peoples and economies around the globe healthier, safer and better equipped to manage their basic daily needs. The aim is to create an observation system as interrelated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects, providing the science on which sound policy and decision-making can be built.
Water
Weather
Observation Systems Worldwide
Ecosystem
Agriculture
Biodiversity

4. Presentation Outline What is a System of Systems?
What are the needs and approach for the GEOSS Architecture?
What is the development status?

5. What is a “System of Systems?”
Definition:
A System-of-Systems (SoS) is a “super-system” comprised of elements that are themselves complex, independent systems which interact to achieve a common goal.
Common Characteristics:
The component systems achieve well-substantiated purposes in their own right even if detached from the overall system
Not just a large, complex system
The components systems are managed in large part for their own purposes rather than the purposes of the whole
Constructed of Independent systems
It exhibits behavior, including emergent behavior, not achievable by the component systems acting independently
Value of the synergy
Component systems, functions, and behaviors may be added or removed during its use
Dynamic, open environment

6. SoS Example – Weather, Ocean and Emergency Responders SoS
Measurements &
Analysis
System
Products
Responders’
Information
Satellite
Radiosonde
Radar
Profiler
Weather Systems
Integrated Storm
Impact & Response
Ocean State Systems
California Pictures

7. What is a system of systems?
Freeways/Autoroutes
Transportation SoS: Roads +GPS+…
Retail business
Unanticipated benefits of SoS extension beyond MP3 player (Blogs, PODCAST) or Internet purchases
IPOD
Aircraft

8. Presentation Outline What is a System of Systems?
What are the needs and approach for the GEOSS Architecture?
What is the development status?

9. The GEOSS Architecture

10. NEEDS
The GEOSS architecture describes how components fit together to produce an overall system of systems capable of providing data and information that will better satisfy requirements than the individual components or systems of which it is composed.
The GEOSS architecture links together strategies and systems to facilitate Earth observations in a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained manner.

11. GEOSS Challenges
Interoperability – explaining what it is and deciding how to address it
Dynamic participation
End to end considerations – what does it mean??
Multiple ownership/prioritization
Creating an understanding of System of Systems

12. Centrally Managed Systems
Challenges
Centrally Managed Systems
Uniformity of objectives
Single corporate direction
Cultural uniformity
Common Technology
Data standards and quality established
Process for encouraging or enforcing participation
GEOSS
Disparate motivations
Competing agendas
Diverse backgrounds
Varying technology levels
Multiple views of data standards and quality

13. Interoperability Objective
What few things must be the same so that everything else can be different?
As a "System of Systems", the success of GEOSS depends on how well the contributed systems achieve "Interoperability".
Here, interoperability is that condition wherein differences among systems are not a barrier to a task that spans those systems. The focus is on how systems work together. GEOSS itself does not delve into how the contributed systems operate within themselves.
The GEOSS Implementation Plan Reference Document makes this statement:
"GEOSS does not mean an attempt to incorporate all Earth observing systems into a single, monolithic, centrally controlled system.
It is intended to improve the data supply to users and not as a justification for annexing existing observation and data distribution systems into a new international organization."
Put another way, the GEOSS architecture will specify just those "few things that must be the same so that everything else can be different".

14. GEOSS Architecture - Basic Standards and Services
"The success of GEOSS will depend on data and information providers accepting and implementing a set of interoperability arrangements, including technical specifications for collecting, processing, storing, and disseminating shared data, metadata, and products."
Here is the key take-home message from this presentation:
"The success of GEOSS will depend on data and information providers accepting and implementing a set of interoperability arrangements, including technical specifications for collecting, processing, storing, and disseminating shared data, metadata, and products."
from GEOSS Implementation Plan, 5.3 Architecture and Interoperability

15. Facts for Implementation (1/4)
Variety of users: governments, private sector, academic, science,… Users’ requirements and expectations vary a lot.
Users to be closely associated to any design and implementation process
Various communities with their own cultures: data & information providers / users with specific system interfaces & data formats, own ways of processing information, ..
No revolution imposed on work habits
Seattle
Puget Sound WA
Canada

16. Facts for Implementation (2/4)
Distributed System: Heterogeneous sets of world-wide distributed systems. Different technologies based on multitude of standards, proprietary solutions, …
Minimal new common architecture,
Preserve the existing infrastructures as much as possible,
Simple and robust interfaces and formats (based on common, open, and widely used standards).
Progressive integration of thematic systems
Interoperability of sources: Increasing user request for combined use of space and non-space data e.g. multi satellite missions with in-situ observation data

17. Facts for Implementation (3/4)
Dynamic, Open system: the SoS should be able to grow & attract third-party data & service providers and accept intermittent participation with disconnected/connected modes without disruption .
Facilitating information flow:
end to end - product order, planning, acquisition, processing, archiving and distribution – for data and information

18. Facts for Implementation (4/4)
User Requirements: Increased demand from users for enhanced quality of geo-spatial data, information and services with more user-friendly, faster, easier and transparent access
Optimization of Performance: tradeoffs and awareness of risks that solutions will be optimized locally (technical, programmatic, data policy, ...)

19. Approach for GEOSS
Build upon existing systems and historical data, as well as existing documentation describing observational needs in various domains
The 10-year implementation plan must address cost effectiveness, technical feasibility and institutional feasibility
To be sustained over a long period of time, GEOSS needs to be adjustable, flexible, adaptable, and responsive to changing needs

20. Principles
Needs-driven - driven by user needs, supports a broad range of implementation options
Scope - addresses all observations required for participants to make products, forecasts and related decisions
Capabilities - includes observing, processing, and dissemination capabilities, provided by national, regional or international agencies subscribing to GEOSS while retaining their ownership and operational responsibility

21. Principles
Data and its exchange and dissemination - observations and products are to be observed, recorded and stored in clearly defined formats
Operation - secures the future continuity of observations
Catalogue - members and participating organizations and the components they support will be documented in a catalogue that is publicly accessible, network distributed, and interoperable with major Earth observations catalogues

22. Presentation Outline What is a System of Systems?
What are the needs and approach for the GEOSS Architecture?
What is the development status?

23. Sample GEOSS 2006 Architecture Tasks
Establish and maintain a process for reaching interoperability arrangements. The process is to be sensitive to technology and accessibility disparities among GEO Members and Participating Organizations, and must include mechanisms for upgrading arrangements.
AR-06-03
Reach consensus on how the GEOSS architecture will link the components of GEOSS and allow for growth potential.
AR-06-04
Establish a process for Organizations to commit component systems to GEOSS, including agreement to accept GEOSS interoperability specifications.
AR-06-05
Initiate development of a publicly accessible, network-distributed clearinghouse including an inventory of existing data, metadata, and pre-defined common products.

24. Architecture and Interoperability Summary
Build a flexible architecture and Integration framework on a set of reusable components
Leverage existing external and internal standards, architectures, and models
Capture future capabilities through open architecture
Support wide range of business processes and environments
Enable disconnected/connected modes for all implementations
Integrate efforts for SoS development from distributed teams
SOA is configurable and scalable
and leverages robust systems/processes
for global interoperability

25. What we do in this generation will determine the destiny of our children’s children
Courtesy of Rick Anthes

26. 1. Non-proprietary standards
"In common with Spatial Data Infrastructures and services-oriented information architectures, GEOSS system components are to be interfaced with each other through interoperability specifications based on open, international standards."
In common with Spatial Data Infrastructures and services-oriented information architectures, GEOSS system components are to be interfaced with each other through interoperability specifications based on open, international standards.
from GEOSS Implementation Plan Reference Document, Section 5, Architecture of a System of Systems

27. from GEOSS Implementation Plan, 5.3 Architecture and Interoperability
2. Focus on interfaces
"Interoperability will be focused on interfaces, defining only how system components interface with each other and thereby minimizing any impact on affected systems other than where such affected systems have interfaces to the shared architecture."
Interoperability will be focused on interfaces, defining only how system components interface with each other and thereby minimizing any impact on affected systems other than where such affected systems have interfaces to the shared architecture.
from GEOSS Implementation Plan, 5.3 Architecture and Interoperability

28. 3. Interoperable formats, with metadata and quality indications
"For those observations and products contributed and shared, GEOSS implementation will facilitate their recording and storage in clearly defined formats, with metadata and quality indications to enable search, retrieval, and archiving as accessible data sets."
For those observations and products contributed and shared, GEOSS implementation will facilitate their recording and storage in clearly defined formats, with metadata and quality indications to enable search, retrieval, and archiving as accessible data sets.
from GEOSS Implementation Plan, 5.3 Architecture and Interoperability

29. 4. Services Oriented Architecture
"GEOSS interoperability arrangements are to be based on the view of complex systems as assemblies of components that interoperate primarily by passing structured messages over network communication services."
GEOSS interoperability arrangements are to be based on the view of complex systems as assemblies of components that interoperate primarily by passing structured messages over network communication services.
By expressing interface interoperability specifications as standard service definitions, GEOSS system interfaces assure verifiable and scaleable interoperability, whether among components within a complex system or among discrete systems.
from GEOSS Implementation Plan, 5.3 Architecture and Interoperability

30. 5. Describe service interfaces of component systems
"GEOSS service definitions are to specify precisely the syntax and semantics of all data elements exchanged at the service interface, and fully describe how systems interact at the interface."
GEOSS service definitions are to specify precisely the syntax and semantics of all data elements exchanged at the service interface, and fully describe how systems interact at the interface.
from GEOSS Implementation Plan Reference Document, Section 5, Architecture of a System of Systems

31. 6. Avoid non-standard data syntax
"Systems interoperating in GEOSS agree to avoid non-standard data syntaxes in favor of well-known and precisely defined syntaxes for data traversing system interfaces."
Systems interoperating in GEOSS agree to avoid non-standard data syntaxes in favor of well-known and precisely defined syntaxes for data traversing system interfaces.
from GEOSS Implementation Plan, 5.3 Architecture and Interoperability

32. 7. Register the semantics of shared data elements
"It is also important to register the semantics of shared data elements so that any system designer can determine in a precise way the exact meaning of data occurring at service interfaces between components."
It is also important to register the semantics of shared data elements so that any system designer can determine in a precise way the exact meaning of data occurring at service interfaces between components.
The standard ISO/IEC 11179, Information Technology--Metadata Registries, provides guidance on representing data semantics in a common way (distinguishes: context, definition, representation).
from GEOSS Implementation Plan, 5.3 Architecture and Interoperability

33. 8. Implement the standard Search Service
ISO Information Search Standard "[...] is interoperable with the broadest range of information resources and services, including libraries and information services worldwide as well as the Clearinghouse catalogues supported across the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure"
ISO Protocol for Information Search and Retrieval
"[...] is interoperable with the broadest range of information resources and services, including libraries and information services worldwide as well as the Clearinghouse catalogues supported across the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure"
from GEOSS Implementation Plan, 5.3 Architecture and Interoperability

34. 9. Draw on existing Spatial Data Infrastructures
"Data and information resources and services in GEOSS typically include references to specific places on the Earth. Interfaces to discover and use these geospatial data and services are agreed upon through the various Spatial Data Infrastructure initiatives. These include the ISO search service interface standard, as well as a range of ISO standards covering documentation and representation, and place codes."
Data and information resources and services in GEOSS typically include references to specific places on the Earth.
Interfaces to discover and use these geospatial data and services are agreed upon through the various Spatial Data Infrastructure initiatives.
These include the ISO search service interface standard, as well as a range of ISO standards covering documentation and representation, and place codes.
from GEOSS Implementation Plan, 5.3 Architecture and Interoperability

35. 10. A public, network-distributed clearinghouse
"GEO Members and Participating Organizations and their contributions will be catalogued in a publicly accessible, network-distributed clearinghouse maintained collectively under GEOSS. The catalogue will itself be subject to GEOSS interoperability specifications, including the standard search service and geospatial services."
GEO Members and Participating Organizations and their contributions will be catalogued in a publicly accessible, network-distributed clearinghouse maintained collectively under GEOSS.
The catalogue will itself be subject to GEOSS interoperability specifications, including the standard search service and geospatial services.
from GEOSS Implementation Plan, 5.3 Architecture and Interoperability