World Meteorological Organization Working together in weather, climate and water

1. WMO World Meteorological OrganizationWorking together in weather, climate and water RA-VI WIS Implementation Plan WMO RA VI Workshop on establishing WIS-DCPC/ WIGOS Marine Meteorological Centre Zagreb 17-18 May 2012 Geerd-R-Hoffmann (Chair, RA-VI Task Team on WIS development and implementation)

2. Contents • What is WIS? • Why do we need an implementation plan for RA-VI? • What is the current status of RA-VI with regard to WIS? • What has to be done to use WIS features? • Which problems may arise when trying to connect to WIS? • How is the monitoring of the plan organised? • Which timeframe is being envisaged? • Which actions are required when and by whom?

3. WMO Information System (WIS) In 2003, the World Meteorological Congress stated that an overarching approach for solving the data management problems for all WMO and related international programmes was required: a single coordinated global infrastructure, the WMOInformation System (WIS). • WIS would be used for the collection and sharing of information for all WMO and related international programmes. • WIS would provide a flexible and extensible structure that would allow the participating centres to enhance their capabilities as their national and international responsibilities grow. • Implementation of WIS should build upon the most successful components of existing WMO information systems in an evolutionary process. • WIS development should pay special attention to a smooth and coordinated transition. • The basis for the core communication network should be the communication links used within the World Weather Watch (WWW) for the high priority real-time data. • WIS should utilise international industry standards for protocols, hardware and software.

4. WIS services WIS provides an integrated approach suitable for all WMO Programmes to meet the requirements of: • Routine collection and automated dissemination of observed data and products (“push”); • Timely delivery of data and products (appropriate to requirements); • Ad-hoc requests for data and products (“pull”). • Data discovery service for all data stored by any WMO programme regardless of location. • A short introduction to WIS can be found in “WIS in a Nutshell”, initiated by the RA-VI Task Team on WIS. • (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WIS/wiswiki/tiki-index.php?page=wis-in-a-nutshell#WIS_in_a_Nutshell)

5. WIS users • WMO programmes who will benefit from the services offered by WIS for the implementation of their data exchange tasks. • NMHS’s who will be able to interactively alter their operational data provisions • Individual users, either a person or an institution, who will be the main beneficiary of WIS, because WIS will provide a single entry point for any data request, be it on a routine basis by dissemination of certain user defined information sets or on an ad-hoc basis for a special data set.. • GEOSS because WIS could also form the base for its information systems.

6. WIS concept Virtual structure • National Centres (NC) • Global Information System Centres (GISC) • Data Collection or Production Centres (DCPC) • Data communication network The names of these virtual centres describe their functionality, not the actual organisational entities. There may be organisations, such as NMHSs, which combine all three virtual centres within one facility.

7. International Organizations (IAEA, CTBTO, UNEP, FAO.. ) • World Radiation Centre • Regional Instrument Centres • GAW World Data Centres • GCOS Data Centres • Global Run-off Data Centre • Global Precip Climatology Centre Internet DCPC NC Internet NC Area Meteorological Data Communication Networks (AMDCNs) • IRI and other climate research institutes • Universities • Regional Climate Centres NC/ DCPC NC/ DCPC GISC Commercial Service Providers NC NC GISC WIS core network GISC NC NC DCPC GISC GISC DCPC WMO World DataCentres Internation projects (eg GMES HALO) Internet Satellite DisseminationIGDDS, RETIM, etc. Internet SatelliteTwo-Way System NC NC NC NC KEY: NC = National Centres GISC = Global Information System Centres DCPC = Data Collection or Production Centres Real-time "push" On-demand "pull" Major Components and Services of WISPart B: Evolution of GTS

8. Current GTS in RA-VI

9. Telecommunications network in RA-VI

10. WIS metadata • WIS metadata describes WMO data and products and is essential for discovery • Metadata is maintained by NCs and DCPCs • GISCs already synchronize catalogue information • The figure shows an example status of the catalogue synchronization

11. Additional services for Members For all users: • Metadata • Discovery and retrieval For NMHS‘s: • Access to all data routinely disseminated, independent of location • Option to modify distribution list interactively • Insert new data for routine dissemination without delay • Act as national focal point for all users of WIS • Highlight ownership of data through WIS metadata

12. Letter of WMO dated 10 February 2012 • Following Resolution 51 of the Sixteenth World Meteorotogical Congress (Designation of Centres of the WMO Information System), • the implementation of the first three operational GISCs by China, Germany and Japan and • the completion of the Improved Main Telecommunication Network (IMTN) initiative, • I am pleased to advise that the WMO Information System (WIS) is now operational.

13. WIS centres endorsed It should be noted that so far no NC’s have been endorsed world-wide. Therefore, it was felt necessary to create a WIS implementation plan, starting with RA-VI.

14. Background for implementation plan • Decision by Regional Association VI (Europe), Fifteenth session, 18-24 September 2009 • Action by Working Group on Technology Development and Implementation (WG-TDI), First Meeting, DWD, Offenbach, Germany, 27 – 28 October 2010 • Support at WMO RA VI Workshop on the implementation of WIS, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1 – 3 November 2011 • Statement by WG-TDI during its second meeting at Météo-France, Paris, 15-16 December 2011 that the task for developing a detailed RA VI WIS Implementation Plan should be given high priority with the goal that the implementation would be completed by the next session of RA VI in September 2013.

15. Current status of WIS in RA-VI Centresnominated: • GISC‘s: VGISC (DWD, Météo France, UKMet), Russia • DCPC‘s: Croatia, Czech Republic, ECMWF, EUMETSAT, Finland, France (6), Germany (9), Italy (2), NetherlandsItaly (2) • NC‘s: France, Germany, UK, …

16. GISC Météo France

17. GISC Deutscher Wetterdienst

18. GISC Roshydromet

19. GISC UKMet

20. Pre-requisites for use of WIS NMHS • Nominate WIS Focal Point to WMO • Check availabilty of network connections to GISC‘s • Maybe involve intermediate DCPC (previously RTH) • Check bandwidth requirements for dissemination schedule • Maybe join RMDCN if not done yet • Agree on primary GISC with relevant GISC and inform WMO • Develop local plan for WIS implementation • Check dissemination schedule at GISC • Update metadata records of data supplied by own country • Participate in training courses and meetings organised by GISC • Provide monitoring information to WIS Contact Point at WMO

21. Pre-requisites for use of WIS DCPC • Agree with WMO program on need for particular DCPC • Inform WMO on wish to become a DCPC • Select primary GISC after consultation with GISC in RA • Install relevant WIS software • DAR, metadata editor, … • Fulfil mandatory technical requirements for DCPC • Pass tests by CBS expert team (ET-GDDP) • Obtain approval by CBS and EC • Set up metadata directory to be harvested by GISC • Start operations

22. Potential problem areas • Lack of staff resources for operational WIS centre • No WIS focal point • Metadata knowledge not available • Insufficient bandwidth for dissemination schedule • Priorization of traffic required • Intermediate DCPC (RTH) unable to help • RMDCN connection too costly • No interactive Internet access to GISC possible

23. Monitoring • WMO RA-VI WIS Focal point to be nominated • Country data base to be installed at WMO or some regional GISC with: • Contact information (national WIS Focal point) • Network connection details and traffic patterns • Local implementation plan details and results • Specification of problem areas and failures • GISC to keep records of traffic and problems encountered for each connected centre of its AMDCN • GISC to undertake metadata training courses and to report on metadata use by connected centres • GISC to organise regular users‘ meetings and to report on problems • RTH as DCPC to take over role of GISC for centres connected

24. Execution of plan • GISC‘s should organise users‘ meeting and metadata training courses at the latest during 3rd quarter 2012 • The implementation of WIS should proceed according to local plans coordinated with the primary GISC and the WMO RA-VI WIS Focal point starting in autumn 2012 • During first part of 2013 all Members of RA-VI should have a local plan for WIS implementation • Review of progress of WIS implementation should be carried out by WMO RA-VI WIS Focal point in June 2013 • All Members of RA-VI should be WIS users by autumn 2013

25. Actions

26. Exemplary WIS Implementation Plan for DCPC in RA-VI • Bring about an internal decision of the organisation to join WIS in RA-VI as a DCPC. • Choose a staff member to become the WIS Focal point. The person should be knowledgeable about the GTS transmissions and the WMO Metadata Core Profile. • Gain the support of a WMO Program for the special data to be made available as a DCPC. In case of a current RTH who wishes to become a DCPC, the NC’s to be connected to the new DCPC for data collection and distribution services should be contacted for support, expressed by the relevant PR’s. • Determine which GISC in the region should become the primary GISC and communicate with the chosen GISC to gain its approval. • Check the communication network connectivity, in particular the bandwidth to the chosen GISC and the Internet access. • Check the planned traffic pattern for the data and the Internet interactive load, assuming full DCPC operations. Ensure that the bandwidth is sufficient to send and receive all data without undue delays. If this were not the case, make sure that an upgrade of the communication network is planned prior to starting operations as a DCPC. • In accordance with the mandatory services to be provided by a DCPC as described in the Manual on WIS (WMO-No. 1060), select the necessary special software and install it locally. Make sure that it passes all the tests for DCPC’s which have been published by WMO. • Inform WMO, in particular CBS, by letter from the Director of the Organisation about the wish to become a DCPC, the supporting WMO Program, the choice of the primary GISC and the nomination of the WIS Focal point. • In accordance with the WIS Manual, collaborate with the relevant CBS ET’s to pass all the necessary tests for a DCPC. • Once the tests have been passed successfully and the centre has been endorsed by WMO Congress / EC, set up operations as a DCPC. • Join the user group of the GISC by attending meetings and other organised events. • Support the monitoring of the regional WIS by regularly updating the organisation’s records in the Country Data Base including availability of service, traffic figures, errors and other comments. The WMO RA-VI WIS Focal point may contact the local WIS Focal point for clarifications and vice versa.