NorDataNet structure

By steingod |

Introduction

The project is divided in 6 work packages which addresses the range of tasks from project management to technical implementation and user support, and includes the linkage of this initiative to international governance of polar data management.

With the distributed nature of this project it is vital that all participants take part in the Design (WP1), Data Management (WP3) and User Interaction (WP 4) work of the project. Governance (WP2) will be handled by the partners that are closest in relevance to the different fields, e.g.. SeaDataNet would be logically put at IMR, Global Change Master Directory at NPI, ESA GECA and DCIO at NILU and WMO Information System at METNO. The outreach part of the project is important to make users aware of the opportunities offered by this infrastructure for data discovery, data access and more limited for data preservation.

10.2 Work packages and deliverables

10.2.1 Work package 1 – Design

The design part of the project will build on the IPY project DOKIPY, the infrastructure projects SIOS, NORMAP and NMDC, and expanded to the new fields that will become a part of this infrastructure. Interoperability standards, frameworks and infrastructure develop continuously and it is important to ensure that this system is able to adapt to a changing environment. The interoperability standards used in various frameworks also differ greatly in their level of complexity. All of these call for a modular and stepwise approach to the overall design. On one hand metadata interoperability is a basic requirement to the infrastructure and a core standard has to be agreed on from the very beginning of the project, and then developed further as the international standards evolve. On the other hand, dataset interoperability has to be approached differently for each individual discipline and data class. The required level of effort may vary from performing minor tweaks to an already established de facto standard, to a major, international coordination process. The resources have to be prioritized accordingly, taking into account the total costs and benefits in each case. An important issue to examine in the design work is the potential for unique identifiers for each dataset handled by the system. The Reference Model of Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) will be used in the design process which is focused on user requirements through use cases. The architectural design shall transform into a holistic architecture for scientific data management nationally through cooperation with WP 2.

  1. Deliverables

    1. System design and interfaces document (SDD)

    2. System implementation and integration document (SID)

  2. Milestones

    1. SDD first version T0+6

    2. SID first version T0+8

    3. SDD amendment T0+24

    4. SID amendment T0+24

    5. SDD final T0+48

    6. SID final T0+48

10.2.2 Work package 2 - Governance

Several national and international interoperability frameworks exist (e.g. Norge Digitalt, INSPIRE, SeaDataNet, WIS, GEOSS, GBIF, GCMD). While this proposal describes a national infrastructure, it is important to ensure compliance between this infrastructure and relevant national and international frameworks that benefit the scientists. Full compliance with all external systems is not possible, and during the project a cost benefit analysis prioritizing the various frameworks has to be developed. The relation to international catalogues is handled by existing relationships at institutional level among the partners, as already indicated. This work package also has the responsibility for development of KPIs and risk identification and mitigation. Preliminary identified risk relates to heterogeneity in systems, granularity in information content, coordinated implementation and testing of interfaces and alignment of timelines and priorities when adapting legacy systems.

  1. Deliverables

    1. Interoperability frameworks document (IFD)

    2. Strategic plan for a sustainable infrastructure (SDS)

    3. Risk mitigation plan (RMP)

    4. KPI specification (KPIS)

    5. Data Management Plan (DMP)

  2. Milestones

    1. RMD T0+3

    2. KIPS first version T0+6

    3. DMP first version T0+8

    4. IFD first version T0+14

    5. SDS first version T0+18

    6. IFD final T0+54

    7. SDS final T0+60

10.2.3 Work package 3 - Data management

The main goal for the project is to integrate existing data management systems hosted by the partners to a virtual and unified system securing unified discovery. The existing systems usually have a long term perspective and funding to ensure long term data preservation, but are not necessarily open to external users. Nor are they interconnected, so users looking for data may have to search a number of portals with no guarantee of discovering all the relevant data. By providing unified discovery and extending the number of catalogues linked, scientists benefit. Without a project like this, the systems will remain unconnected and in many cases also invisible to external users. During the implementation of the system, principles from ITIL will be used to establish procedures for implementation, operation and modifications (life cycle management) in order to reduce the risk of diverging implementations. Implementation will be test driven and a common software repository will be established for sharing of software components.

  1. Deliverables

    1. Implementation of internal interfaces creating a virtual data management system

    2. Implementation of external interfaces linking the infrastructure to relevant external (national and international) frameworks for data management

    3. Documentation of node specific procedures

    4. Implementation of a data submission interface to the NorStore archive.

    5. Implementation of data documentation tools (including formatting aids)

  2. Milestones

    1. First version of internal interfaces including all partners T0+24

    2. First version of external interfaces T0+36

    3. First version of node specific documentation T0+36

    4. Final internal interfaces implementation T0+54

    5. Final external interfaces implementation T0+54

    6. Final version of node specific documentation T0+60

10.2.4 Work package 4 - User Interaction

It is important to understand the user requirements and to educate the user community in best practises concerning distributed data management and discovery. The front end user support function must have some knowledge of the users' normal work and know where to get help for more specific problems. Each system node will provide user support for the data supported by that node.

  1. Deliverables

    1. User workshops

    2. User requirement document (based on workshop and user survey)

    3. NorDataNet service portfolio document (describing data and interfaces of the project)

    4. User involvement report (documentation on user interaction, lessons learnt, etc.)

    5. NorStore requirements document (based on workshop and user survey)

  2. Milestones

    1. User workshop (T0+3, T0+30)

    2. User requirements document – 1st draft (T0+6)

    3. NorDataNet service portfolio – 1st issue (T0+12, T0+24, T0+36, etc.)

10.2.5 Work package 5 - Outreach

An important part of the outreach of this project is to be visible for the user community. The first and most important step is to generate a good web page describing the infrastructure and its possibilities. Second, this web page has to be promoted to the users both online and offline. Promotion in the Internet is done through exchange of banners and links with other relevant web-portals, online advertising, registering of NorDataNet web-portals in searching engines and CEO-optimization of the web-pages. Offline promotion is done by meeting the users at conferences nationally and internationally, publication in scientific journals and providing visibility in mass media. Links to relevant national and international frameworks for data management should be established for exposing or harvesting information or participation in governance. The third part of outreach is production of leaflets, newsletters and educational materials to be disseminated at conferences and user workshops.

  1. Deliverables

    1. Central web portal with information on the project and links to nodes

    2. Node specific web portals containing documentation

    3. Node specific web portals for data discovery

    4. Node specific web portals for data sharing (data submission)

    5. Informational leaflet template

  2. Milestones

    1. First version of central web portal T0+12+18

    2. First versions of node specific portals T0+12+18

    3. Final versions of all portals T0+12+36

10.2.6 Work package 6 - Project Management

METNO will manage the project. The management structure is outlined in Figure 2 and in chapter 8. In addition to version control for software, the project will also utilise a project management system, potentially combined with an issue tracking system to help coordination of efforts.

  1. Deliverables

    1. Yearly progress reports to RCN

    2. Quarterly progress reports to partners

  2. Milestones

    1. Yearly accounting