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Brief Presentation of the new SoDa collaborative system
The current SoDa is a mature example of collaborative information system since it realizes an integration of information sources of different natures and located in various institutes and companies in the world within a smart network on the Web (Gschwind et al., 2006). These sources include databases containing solar radiation parameters. Other relevant information are also available, such as other meteorological parameters: surface air temperature, relative humidity, forecasts, Linke turbidity factor, astronomical parameters, or digital elevation models. Several of these databases originate from an advanced processing of remote sensing images, especially those about surface solar irradiance or daylighting.
By definition, a collaborative information system aims at providing an easy access to various services (databases, data sets, applications) in a homogeneous and seamless way. It is a one-stop shop, or "broker" where users find the requested information. Whatever the service, the user interface is more or less the same and consequently, very familiar. The delivery means is the same, i.e., by means of the Web. The format of the outputs obeys also some standardization. The next illustration is the sketch of the structure of the collaborative information system. It describes the actors: customers, broker, providers of services, and their relationships. The broker is offering a unique access to an ensemble of services supplied by providers. The broker is taking care of the relationship with its customers on the one hand, and with its providers on the other hand.
The original SoDa portal was built with proprietary software and communication protocols. Taking into account the fast pace of development of the Web, the project MESoR and Task SHC 36 of IEA (International Energy Agency) decided to build a new portal, using open source software with support from a large development community and standardized Web services. The MESoR website, developed in Liferay, is the first stone for the future SoDa website.
MESoR and Task SHC 36 have opted for portlets, which are self-contained applications that can be deployed in a portal such as Liferay. Other technologies than portlets could have answered needs as well. For each service, a portlet is developed and deployed. The portlet creates the interface (GUI) to invoke the service, triggers the Web service, listens to the answer, formats it and presents the results to the customer. The follwing figure is an example of interface created by the portlet for the service that enables the access to the database "SOLEMI" of the DLR.
Advantages
The benefit of these collaborative systems is that they collect data and call upon other applications to answer as best as possible to the request. In doing so, the broker does not centralize the data into a warehouse nor write the software for applications. It concentrates on the best ways to satisfy the request of the customers and to select the most appropriate services. From the point of view of providers, the benefit is to keep hand on their data and applications. The provider does not need to send its data to a centralized database or data silos nor install its applications on a remote computer belonging to the broker.
The collaborative information system offers several advantages, ranging from immediate availability of new data or latest version of an application to the customers, to less restrictive agreements on intellectual property rights between the broker and a provider. From the point of view of customers, it offers a one-stop shop where to find information necessary to the accomplishment of their tasks and easy to use and reach because it is based on the Web.
Liferay is driven to provide consistently high quality user-oriented service. This Content Manager System enables an enhanced management of the Customers thanks to an accurate list of rights. For instance, each Customer will be allowed to design his own space into the SoDa Service, with the information and services adapted to his expectations. The confidentiality of the Customers is assured and the property of the data of each data provider is respected.
Last update: 2/23/12 5:20 PM