1. An Interoperable Portal for the Historic Environment Tony Austin, Julian Richards {afa2,jdr1}@york.ac.uk Archaeology Data Service, Department of Archaeology, University of York, UK http://ads.ahds.ac.uk Francisco Pinto, Nick Ryan { fqp1,n.s.ryan}@ukc.ac.uk Computing Laboratory, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK http://www.cs.ukc.ac.uk Z39.50 Profiles Agreement on rules to provide Interoperability at different levels Semantics: Access Points (Title, Subject, Who, What, Spatial) Syntax: Record Syntaxes (SUTRS, GRS1, XML) Structure: Record Elements (Identifier, Title, X-coord, Y-coord) Mediation Selects the Data Sources according to the Query Plans Converts the execution plans into Z39.50 type-1 queries Launches parallel searches over the elected Data Sources Homogenises retrieval records for the Z39.50 Data Model Retrieving Associates specific XML markup with associated logic in Java Maps XML Tags and Z39.50 search and retrieval parameters (TagLib) Converts the Z39.50 retrieval records into XML records Transforms the records via XSLT to HTML, WML, PDF, etc. Benefits The Historic Environment Portal provides an inexpensive solution to effective, efficient and extensible Interoperability between distributed heterogeneous Data Sources. Effective Provides a single simple query interface for the end user Access points have precise semantics across all targets Low maintenance and skills base (once installed) Efficient Searches performed in parallel over a set of selected data sources Results are available as soon as each target completes Extensible Standards based (Z39.50, Bath/CIMI Profiles, DC, XML) By adding further targets By developing specialised clients Searching Access Points defined by Z39.50 Profiles Bath Profile: Cross-Domain Resource Discovery Dublin Core Metadata Element Set CIMI Profile: Cultural Heritage Information Spatial and 4Ws Metadata Elements Access Points Bath Profile CIMI Profile Identifier Title SubjectWhat DescriptionWhat Author/CreatorWho ContributorWho PublisherWho Date Type Format Source Language Relation Coverage Where/When Rights Place Names Period Names SpatialReferencingSystem, X-Coord, Y-Coord Initial Project Partner Organisations Archaeology Data Service (ADS) Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) Portable Antiquities Scheme of British Museum (PAS) Scottish Cultural Resource Access Network (SCRAN) <ZavaXSession zavaxTarget=ADS, zavaxHost=localhost, zavaxPort=2100, …, …, …, zavaxBr=1> <ZavaXResultSet zavaxRecordsFound=320, zavaxPrev=0, zavaxNext=11> <ZavaXRecord zavaxRecordOrder=1, zavaxRecordSyntax=sutrs> LARGIEMORE / BALLERGIE DUN FORTS; ROMAN COIN … ADS localhost 2100 Fort/What Roman/When AND… … sutrs 1 Goal Web Portal for parallel searching on geographically distributed, autonomous and heterogeneous Data Sources under Z39.50 Targets available at different partner organisations belonging to the Historic Environment domain. Computing Laboratory and Archaeology Data Service Query Processing Validates the parameters and builds a global query plan For each Data Source Optimises the query plan in terms of spatial areas Generates a logical plan according to its capabilities Applies a logic algebra to obtain an execution plan http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/heirport Z39.50 Server Z39.50 HTTP Cocoon Publishing Framework Web Server + Servlet Engine Web Interface XML/XSL Web Interface Z39.50 Profiles XSP/XSL LogicSheet XSP Processor XML/Z39.50 Tag Library Query Processing Validation, Optimization & Planning Z39.50 Threaded Origin Web/ Z39.50 Gateway Mediation DC Indexes DBMS DC Indexes Search Engine JDBC Data Sources Result Sets Z39.50 Threaded Target Data Source Access Z39.50 Profiles Web Application (Portlet) DC Indexes Doc Store Web Client