1. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface The UNIDART Project Jürgen Seib Deutscher Wetterdienst Referat für Datenbanksysteme e-mail: juergen.seib@dwd.de

2. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 2 - General Project Info UNIDART: Uniform Data Request Interface Project Manager: Dr. Jürgen Seib (DWD) Advisory Committee: Chris Little (UKMO) Dr. Frans van der Wel (KNMI) 3 Phases: –requirements analysis and assessment of feasibility –definition of a technical concept –implementation Start: 1 st September 2001 End of phase I: Mai 2002

3. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 3 - which store any kind of meteorological data and products uniform and integrated access Development of a Web-based information system that allows a uniform and integrated access The main goal to heterogeneous and distributed data sources

4. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 4 - What is UNIDART? (1) UNIDART should not be a system which tries to solve all the data exchange problems of the meteorological community. UNIDART should not be seen as a rival or successor of the GTS. UNIDART should not be an e-commercial one-stop shop for meteorological data and products. UNIDART should not be a system which stores meteorological data by itself.

5. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 5 - What is UNIDART? (2) UNIDART should be a broker or a proxy for the access to meteorological data and products. UNIDART should be a supplement to the GTS functionality providing a request/reply facility. UNIDART should be a metadata information system. UNIDART should be a meteorological Web portal which is open for registered persons.

6. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 6 - Who are the users? National Meteorological Services (EUMETNET members) users from the data providers Scientific institutions (e.g. universities) International organisations (e.g. ECWMF, EUMETSAT) commercial users in a future version of UNIDART

7. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 7 - How to meet user requirements? Access through the Web Personalisation Easy to use and self-explainable searching and navigation capabilities Concept of a Web Portal Enterprise Information Portal

8. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 8 - Architecture Internet user Agent Data source meta DB Data Provider Virtual Database System Virtual Database authentication future billing system Administrative database core metadata query dispatcher UNIDART

9. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 9 - Workflow User Provider Unidart connect to UNIDART login welcome start session with authentication enquireorderreceivedisconnect Start End check authentication transmit Metadata query metadata query data Metadata log out receive request data

10. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 10 - Data Provider Every organisation which offers meteorological data and products has to run an UNIDART agent on one of its hosts accessible through the internet has to set up a database for metadata information has to map its own data structures to agreed common structures (e.g. for climate data) is responsible for the availability and the actuality of the data as well as the metadata implements its own security mechanisms (e.g. firewall)

11. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 11 - Example of a star schema for a virtual Climate Database Stations Station_Name Latitude Longitude Elevation Country Station_ID Elements Element_Name Unit Quality_Level Element_ID Dates Day Month Year Date_ID Metadata Title Abstract Originator Keywords Metadata_ID Daily values Station_ID Date_ID Element_ID Metadata_ID Value

12. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 12 - Project risks the EUMETNET Council decides to stop the project the implementation expenditure by the data providers is higher than estimated the time schedule cannot be kept a competitive project will be finished earlier and UNIDART will become redundant Experts leave the project

13. Abteilung Systeme und Betrieb UNIDART: A Uniform Data Request Interface Thursday, 30 January 2014 - 13 - Next steps finish the feasibility study define a work plan and a time table for the next project phases estimate the costs of an implementation implement a prototype if possible Decision of the EUMETNET Council