preANVIL : Design of A N etworked V irtual I nteroperability L aboratory

preANVIL:Design of A Networked Virtual

Interoperability Laboratory

Michael GouldComputer Graphics Lab

University Jaume ICastellón, Spain

6th EC-GIS Workshop, Lyon

preANVIL

• Interoperability in Europe

• Overview and possible scenarios

• Partners and Work packages

• Key questions, issues

• Expected results

• Invitation to participate

Interoperability in Europe

• Many international initiatives, OGC

• Europe just beginning to take part– GIPSIE, ELADIS, GETIS, ETeMII, OGC Europe

– integration, not competition, with international work

– primary need: information dissemination

• Interop: key to growth and competitiveness in the European GI market

• Key research topic: AGILE Interop WG

The preANVIL project

• February 1999 workshop at JRC: Virtual Interoperability Laboratory (VIL)– in collaboration with DG III

– a brainstorming session

– Among the conclusions: “Europe could benefit from a laboratory conducting practical tests and making recommendations oriented to improving interoperability of relevant information systems and data.”

preANVIL

• September 1999: JRC’s call for tender– “To assess the technology progress in the area of interoperability of

information systems in general and GIS in particular...

– To set up a showcase for the demonstration of project results with potential to contribute to the interoperability of GI and GIS systems,

– To assess the feasibility and define a sustainability policy for the establishment of a GIS Interoperability laboratory in Europe,

– To catalyse technical discussions regarding GI/GIS interoperability and harmonising the interoperability strategy through discussion at technical forums, concertation meetings and a Workshop.”

preANVIL

• Official project title: – “PreANVIL: An Accompanying Measure for the

Interoperability of Geographic Information Systems in Europe – A Technology Perspective”

• Duration: Feb-June and July-Nov 2000

• Funding: 100+100 kEuro

• We believe ANVIL will be built in Europe, the question is how and by whom...

Scenarios: composition

• ANVIL as a simple web portal– dissemination of information

• ANVIL as a full-time, staffed operation– central server, offices, researchers/sys ops

– secondary nodes at various European sites

• Component model of funding and creation

• Single centralised laboratory (AVIL)

• Others (your ideas here)

Scenarios: roles, tasks

• ANVIL as communication mechanism– workshops, website, discussion forum(s)– builds, maintains a virtual interop community

• ANVIL as geo-interop R+TD centre– conformance testing of software– create new standards/recommendations– liasion with other global initiatives

• Other tasks...

preANVIL partners

• Gere S.A. (L), coordinator

• Geobase Consultants Ltd.

• OpenGIS Consortium (Europe) Ltd.

• Technical University Vienna

• University Jaume I, tech. coordinator

• University of Münster

• Idelux

Work Packages

• WP1: Project coordination and QA

• WP2: Technology observatory

• WP3: GIS interoperability showcase

• WP4: Technical forum, meetings/workshops

• WP5: GIS Interop Information Service (IIS)

WP2: Technology observatory

• Desk study– EC project review, website survey

– state of the art in the interoperability field

– technology trends studied...incl webmapping, mobile technologies, external forces shaping GI interop

– from >500 projects to 290 GI-related projects to 27 (4%) focusing on interoperability topics

– interop matters: on-going projects (few results)

– synthesis, results analysis currently under way

Interop project categorisation

3 main focuses

Interop Technology Graph

Middleware technologies, DCPs, etc.

Server technologies

Clienttechnologies

Technology observatory

• Close attention is being paid to mobile technologies (WAP, 3G phone technology, etc.) and their possible roles in geospatial interoperability issues

• Location based mobile services (OGC)

• Must think 12 months ahead...

...but the window of opportunity is closing

Technology observatory

• Interviews– Approximately 10 key people to be interviewed

• within and beyond the GI field

• being conducted in June (Agile, EC-GIS, etc.)

– Topics/protocol to be based on desk study results and feedback from technical forum

– Beta (test) interviews conducted at various meetings i.e. OGC TC

Technology observatory

• ANVIL Rough Idea– Design of a possible ANVIL

• example tasks to be carried out by the lab

• possible players / contributors

• sustainability

– Business plan– Concept / vision statement– Under way: call for contributions to appear in

OJEC and in public forums

WP3: GIS Interop. Showcase

• Internet based demonstrations of key interop-related projects– Clearly showing the value of GIS

interoperability to Europe

• Based on scenarios: travel from airport to hotel; environmental disaster...

• Multimedia demonstrations for public use

WP4: Tech. Forum, meetings

• Actions aimed at gaining the input of key players: How should ANVIL work?

• Technical Forum: mail list ([email protected])– moderated (not filtered)

– 110+ subscribers at present (20 countries)

– Position papers published each month, to spark debate

– more active discussions sought!

– we need your opinions and suggestions

Tech Forum (cont.)

• Position papers thus far (4)– introduction to preANVIL and problematic of

interoperability

– WAP and associated mobile technologies

– data quality/pricing (quick and dirty data for mobileGIS)

– location based mobile services: competing standards...

Meetings

• Concertation meeting of 15-20 selected experts– Probably in Ispra (JRC)– Date: t.b.d.

• Final workshop with printed proceedings– November 2000, jointly with IST Conference

(Nice)

WP5: GIS-Interop Info System

• GIS-IIS– website, portal covering all project issues– links to “everything”– www.ec-gis.org/preanvil– “public” since June 1

Expected Results

• Compilation of interop-related projects

• Website (GIS-IIS), links to resources

• Publicly available interop showcase

• Final workshop, meeting(s)

• ANVIL rough idea, business plan

• Synergy with other relevant projects

• Emphasis on public participation, feedback

Key questions

• Does Europe need ANVIL?

• What should it’s role be?

• Who (orgs, people) should run it?

• How distributed (networked) should it be?

• Can it be self-sustained?– Financing model?

• Role of emerging mobile technologies?

Invitation to Participate

• preANVIL is an open process

• depends on feedback from key players in the GI (and other related) fields– academics as well as practicioners/vendors/users

• subscribe to [email protected]

• participate in workshops/meetings

Further Information

• Many consortium members present at 6 EC-GIS workshop

• PO: [email protected]

• Consortium: [email protected]

• Web site: www.ec-gis.org/preanvil/

6th EC-GIS, Lyon