Standing Up a GEOSS Standards and Interoperability Forum

1. Standing Up a GEOSS Standards and Interoperability Forum Siri Jodha Singh Khalsa IEEE Committee on Earth Observations Standards Working Group

2. What is the SIF? (from ToR) • Exists to “provide advice, expertise and impartial guidance on issues relating to standards and interoperability” for GEOSS. • Its objectives include: • help in the identification and adoption of standards required to achieve GEOSS interoperability objectives • facilitate cooperation among the many organizations, and national agencies of member countries, in selecting, developing and using standards applicable to GEOSS • support education and outreach for international participants and help increase technical and public awareness

3. Who is the SIF? • An ad hoc body tasked by the ADC to help resolve interoperability issues • Expected to have representation from organizations with a significant interest in GEO-relevant standards such as IEEE, CEOS, OGC, and ISO, as well as discipline experts • Open to all organizations, institutions and national bodies willing to contribute volunteers

4. GEOSS Interoperability Process Component has interface? Component Contributor Register Component N Done Y Uses registered standard? Reference registered standard Begin Service Registration Y N Capture details of proposed GISA* Pass proposed GISA to SIF Done *GEOSS Interoperability Special Arrangement

5. Role of SIF in GEOSS Interoperability Process • During Service Registration, if the service does not use an existing “GEOSS Recognized Standard” (GRS) the contributor will enter details on proposed “GEOSS Interoperability Special Arrangements” (GISA). • This information will be passed to the SIF, which will manage entries into the “Special Arrangements” register hosted by the IEEE. • Interoperability Register = Standards Register + Special Arrangements Register • The SIF will also review and recommend promotion of GISAs to GRSs as appropriate.

6. Guidelines for SIF • Encourage broader use of existing standards in the GEOSS Standards Register as one factor in recommending interoperability arrangements • No ranking or prioritization of standards • But number GEO components that currently use a given standard may be considered, matter of “best practice” • In rare cases where no existing standard fulfills GEOSS needs, the SIF could identify appropriate Standards Development Organizations to carry out the standards development process

7. Issues • Soliciting required expertise • Call for Participation in preparation • Subject Matter Experts serving in advisory role needn’t be GEO members • Workload, timeliness of response • Concern expressed regarding how sustainable it will be with only voluntary contributions • Tasking of the SIF • Requests sent directly to SIF, ADC will not be gatekeeper

8. Issues - Continued • Coupling of Services Registry and SIF • Support of GEOSS AI CFP • Review of interoperability arrangements that not in GEOSS Service Registry? • Mechanism for updating/revising GEO Interoperability Arrangements • Process for tracking operational experience with interoperability implementations. • SIF as part of GEO operations, eventually divorced from ADC? NO