Open Gov Data and Microsoft

1. Open Gov Data and Microsoft LAPSI 2nd Primer and 1st Public Conference Bocconi University, Milan 5-6 May 2011 Pier Paolo Boccadamo Platform Strategy Director, Microsoft Italy

2. Agenda • Open Government and Open Data • Microsoft & Open Data: why and what role • The Government Challenge • Microsoft European OGDI in the cloud • Some OGDI enabled examples • … and tomorrow ?

3. Open Government and Open Data • Transparency • Participation • Collaboration open data gov’t data open government data open gov

4. Open Gov Data and Microsoft Why • Open Access to Data is part of Microsoft interoperability strategy, enabling Govs to unlock data from heterogeneous repositories and make it available in a flexible spectrum of e-gov services, accordingly to PSI directives What role • Technological Enabler • Interoperable platform (technologies + services) • “3 Screens and the Cloud” technology stack • Support to policy makers, PS decision makers, influencers etc. on cloud scenarios challenges, including data (security, privacy, sovereignty …) • Example: Contribute to PSI Directive Public Consultation http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=351afeace62f913b40a794a0c&id=153e8546ae • Provide open frameworks for Gov organizations able to translate file formats and to build repositories of open data apps, encourage & exploit community development efforts

5. The Government challenge • Free the data, Make it useful • Fast Time-to-Market • Low Implementation Costs • Service scalability • Discoverability • Interoperability The cloud: inherent benefits

6. Microsoft European Open Government Data Initiative The cloud: Azure www.govdata.eu

7. Microsoft OGDI portal http:/dev.govdata.eu/ www.govdata.eu

8. A real platform for Data Re-use Complying with European PSI directive principles of availability, non exclusivity, non discrimination

9. Data Terms of Use Microsoft does not impose any restrictions or other terms and conditions with respect to the Data apart from those set forth in the Data Terms of Use as selected by the applicable government agency from which the data was obtained http://dev.govdata.eu/Terms

10. ODATA protocol allows OUTPUT formats: JSON, JSONP, ATOM How it works Cloud Interactive SDK http://dev.govdata.eu Documentation Sample code Maps mash ups Accessible API from Silverlight, Flash, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby

11. OGDI: some details • EasyData access with tools, sample code and support documentation • Provides interfaces that allow developers to: • view and manipulate data; choose the right dataset; query the desired data with filters (no infrastructure required); • build applications using datasets from different providers whatever the language used for the apps Flex, Python, PHP, JavaScript, .net, … (client source code provided) • always use the last version of the dataset • Compared to publishing a flat file (XML, XLS, CSV, TXT, …) main difference is: • no need to import the file before using the data (useful if you use a mobile) • no need to publish the data on your own web server to use them • Two dynamic ways to get data: • via the oData protocol (based on web standards as HTML, JSON, ATOM Pub) • via the KML interface to query geospatial data • Data availability and scalability guaranteed by Azure cloud storage • Data upload in machine readible format for Government agencies in “1 day” • Easy creation of mashups with geo data, social media data, other commercial data. Win Phone 7 applications and Bing maps mashups. • Easy migration to Datamarket • The license attached to each dataset is defined by the provider not by OGDI. Could be an ODbl, PPDL, …

12. Some OGDI-enabled examples Madrid Urban Trees • Parking Place for Disabled with the possibility to select the length and width of the parking lot. Data are provided by the City of Rennes, are exposed here . • Trees species in Paris very useful for people allergic to pollen. Data are provided by the City of Paris, are exposed here.

13. Getting started with Open Data with European OGDI toolkit • Identify the datasets to be published • Ask for a free pilot (1 year Azure free storage) at http://dev.govdata.eu • Following the documentation at http://dev.govdata.eu prepare the data and upload it. • Elapsed time: 1 day 

14. ... and tomorrow ? Support the Growth of Open Government Data “market” • Data Supply and Demand: Data consumers and Data providers relationship • Data access control and geographical restrictions on data availability • Data usage reports and statistics • Data Charging • Windows Azure Marketplace DataMarket cloud-based service (http://datamarket.azure.com)

15. http://dev.govdata.eu Pierpaolo.Boccadamo@microsoft.comMobile:+39-348-2246159

16. APPENDIX

17. Barriers for reuse (PSI consultation): • Opened data are published to application specific, non-reusable formats • Lack of terminology and data consistency • Cost of provisioning and delivery. Data is most often stored on servers within Public authorities, not prepared to allow external, scalable access • Open data frameworks should be publicly available for developers (all developing languages) with tools, sample code, documentation to support easy reuse of the data • It should be possible to publish Open data to the cloud to enable • cost efficiency and reuse features enablement • Nondiscriminatory availability for developers and ISV’s • Data classification and potential reuse should be figured out by the government agencies to engage with the ISV’ ecosystem • The collaboration within the European Open Data Community, will boost the Open Data ISV ecosystem to build the killer applications!

18. From PSI Directive Consulting 2010, Microsoft answers General Issues: What changes in policy of Member States and/or public sector bodies regarding re-use of public sector information have you noticed since the adoption of the PSI Directive in 2003? What have been the positive effects of the PSI Directive and of these changes? Please give also figures on growth in terms of turnover, staff, number of clients, downloads etc., where possible. What are the remaining barriers to re-use (availability of information, charging, licensing conditions, etc.)? • Data is held in application-specific, non-reusable formats (sometimes technical formats, but more often proprietary government semantics) • Lack of data consistency (one-time publications vs. ongoing update; live stream vs. snapshot; “lifecycle” of data ) • Cost of provisioning and delivery. Data is most often stored on servers within public administrations, not prepared to allow external, scalable access. Additional cost factor from network bandwidth for public authorities and especially for SMEs leveraging this data. • Lack of harmonization of the regulatory framework for data governance. • Lack of cost-efficient platforms to initiate the network effects of combining different data sources in innovation solutions and services. • Software development frameworks for developers to facilitate the development of innovative applications. These should be technology and business model neutral, inclusive and open. These would contain i.e. sample code, documentation how to access data and the “meaning” of data. • Open and transparent frameworks should exist to enable interested governments to expose and publish data as timely as possible. • Swift adoption of new platforms and resources in the ICT sector. For instance, cloud computing can provide revolutionary economies of scale compared to traditional IT service delivery. • Cloud computing would especially support the “pan-European” component in the PSI directive with its non-discriminatory delivery of data and applications across European member states.

19. MS Cloud Security Certifications

20. Resources • MS Interoperability & Open Government • Open Government Data Initiative – OGDI • OGDI on Codeplex – http://ogdi.codeplex.com • Microsoft - Shared Source Initiative • Open Data Application Framework (ODAF) on Codeplex – http://odaf.codeplex.com/ • Windows Azure – http://www.microsoft.com/windowsazure/pricing • EU PSI directive • PSI Legislative instruments by Member States (link tbd) • MS PSI Consultation submission