Implementing the WPS Standard A Case Study for Dissemination of Coastal and Marine Tools

1. Implementing the WPS StandardA Case Study for Dissemination of Coastal and Marine Tools • GIMA Master Thesis • Joost Boerboom

2. Welcome • GIMA Master Thesis • Carried out at Deltares in Delft • February – August 2013 • Committee: • dr. FedorBaart • dr.ir Gerben de Boer • drs. Marian de Vries • prof.dr.ir. Peter van Oosterom

3. Contents • Introduction • Case 1 – Tide Forecasting Service • Case 2 – Interactive Dredge Planning Tool • Discussion • Conclusion • Recommendations • Questions

4. 1. Introduction Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations

5. Remote Processing Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations 1+1=2 1+1=? 1+1=? 1+1=2 1+1=2

6. Web Processing Service Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • OGC Standard for (operating) remote processes • No limitations to: • Script language • Data types • Etc. • Bridge between client and server

7. Why Standards Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion - Recommendations

8. Web Services Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Online medium for: • Processing • Coverages • Features • Rasters • WPS WCS WFS WMS

9. Using Web Services Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Browser • http://dtvirt5.deltares.nl/wps/?request=Execute&service=wps&version=1.0.0&identifier=constituents&datainputs=[constituent=M2] Different requests: • GetCapabilities • DescribeProcess • Execute

10. Web Service Advantages Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations Always the latest version of data / software No more downloading everything Interoperability

11. Goal Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Goal of the research: • “expose complex processes that feed coastal and marine models via a Web Processing Service” Deltares’ goals: “provide a path for existing Matlab tools to be used in next generation user interface” “use boundary conditions from large datasets”

12. Research Questions Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Can complex processes that feed coastal/marine models be exposed via a Web Processing Service? • Can a Web Processing Service be used as a wrapper service for non domain-specific processing services? • Which adaptations could be made to the WPS standard to improve the possibilities for application of the standard?

13. Methodology Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Literature study • Practical work in the sense of, for Deltares, relevant case studies

14. System Setup Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion - Recommendations • PyWPS • Python based • Open Source • Relatively small developer community • Deltares test server • - http://dtvirt5.deltares.nl/wps/?

15. 2. Case 1 – Tide Forecasting Service Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • What: Global tide forecasting service • Why: Relevant for Deltares and expected to be a popular service

16. Tide Forecasting Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • What is the tide: • The tide is an extremely long wave • Astronomical influences • Water levels are location specific • Required for forecasting: • Constituents • Amplitudes • Starting point in time • How to get the inputs: • - Long period measurements

17. Tidal Constituents Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations K1 and M2 – Lunardiurnal

18. Satellite Altimetry Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations

19. Different Services Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Different services have been developed • - Base of the script is similar

20. 3. Case 2 – Interactive Dredge Planning Tool Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • What: • Existing online tool made by Deltares/Ecoshape to forecast environmental effects of dredging operations • Why: • Show that WPS is also able to ‘wrap’ existing (legacy) services

21. Working of IDPT Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations

22. Method of Wrapping Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Have the WPS service post input files and read the outputs

23. IDPT via WPS Introduction– Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Limited input • Less user friendly compared to the original • Identical results

24. 4. Discussion Introduction – Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • PyWPS • Small community • Slow development • Tide Forecasting Service • Expected limited accuracy (better dataset available) • Too slow • IDPT Wrapper • No status support • Timeouts • Slow, just like the original one

25. Performance Issues Introduction – Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Both services are slow, why? • Tide forecasting service: • Reading 400MB dataset • Interpolating the whole dataset instead of a few points • IDPT Wrapper: • Limited performance of the original one • Saving, loading, reading files via FTP (slow)

26. 5. Conclusion Introduction – Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Can complex processes that feed coastal/marine models be exposed via a Web Processing Service? • Yes!

27. 5. Conclusion Introduction – Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Can a Web Processing Service be used as a wrapper service for non domain-specific processing services? • In case of IDPT, yes!

28. 5. Conclusion Introduction – Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Which adaptations could be made to the WPS standard to improve the possibilities for application of the standard? • Based on the practical experience gathered during the thesis work: • - Improve status support, continuous communication • - Implementation of a ‘stop’ request • - More possibilities for dynamic processes/interfaces

29. Overall Introduction – Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • WPS is very broad applicable • (single) WPS processes are somewhat static • WPS will not speed up existing processes • WPS allows great interoperability

30. 6. Recommendations Introduction – Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Tide forecasting service: • Performance improvement • Accuracy improvement • Path/vector input in GML • IDPT Wrapper: • More input parameters • Graphical interface • Status support

31. Fast Response! Introduction –Case 1 – Case 2 – Discussion – Conclusion – Recommendations • Tide forecasting service: • Improved performance • Improved input options • IDPT Wrapper: • Fixed status support • PyWPS: • Number of developers increased

32. Questions?

33. Thank you for your attention • Contact: • joostboerboom@gmail.com • 06 41921002 • http://nl.linkedin.com/in/joostboerboom Drinks: Tomorrow, 20:00u Sportparklaan 16, Heemstede