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Still serving data with an old DODS server from the early 90's. Jim Manning NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center NERACOOS/NECOSP Data Management Workshop, Sept. 26, 2012. NEFSC Oceanography Branch. Falls under the “ Ecosystem Processes Division ” based in Sandy Hook, NJ
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Still serving data with an old DODS server from the early 90's Jim Manning NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center NERACOOS/NECOSP Data Management Workshop, Sept. 26, 2012
NEFSC Oceanography Branch • Falls under the “Ecosystem Processes Division” based in Sandy Hook, NJ • The branch is based in Narragansett, RI but several of us are located in Woods Hole • Primary functions are to describe & monitor: • basic physical oceanographic processes (T,S, U&V) • status of lower trophic levels • the long-term variability of conditions on the shelf • Primary data consumers: • Fisheries biologist at our lab and elsewhere • Academic researchers • Data Requirements: • ORACLE
About our data • Water Column Profiles (CTD) • Trawl Survey (merged with above) • Zooplankton • Derived Temperature and Salinity Anomalies by Region • Ship Track Surface Properties • Drifter Track Archive • Moored Time series (includes eMOLT & historic current meters) • All of the above are shared (ie accessible) on our website • 1,5,6,7 via OpeNDAP on old DOS server • All of the above (except 3) visualize w/MapServer/gnuplot • All of the above are updated at least a few times per year • All of the above programs are multi-decades (except mine, 6&7) • Most of the above documented on GCMD website
How we manage/serve our data Two options: 1) point & click through Perl/Mapserver Dataserver 2) download example MATLAB or PYTHON code to access it yourselves
Data Management Successes • Original DODS server for relational database • Python & Matlab users can bring the data directly into their working environments • Dozens of data users have registered at least once to let us know they are using the data and what for • Numerical modelers are using the eMOLT data, for example, to assimilation and validation of simulations
Data Management Challenges • Political hurtles: • NEFSC “Oceanography Branch” does not have a person trained in data management so we have to beg the “Data Management Branch” • Overcoming the long-standing perception that there are more pressing issues in fisheries science than monitoring the effects of climate change (sector management, whales, etc. are more important to many) • Technical hurtles: • There is relatively little support in IOOS for serving relational databases? • SOS required MySQL and therefore, for me, a duplicate database? • Only one LINUX system admin guy who deals mostly with ~150 WINDOWS people • Still waiting for a new LINUX box to be setup for updating our server so we can add THREDDS and Python functionality
Take home points • NEFSC has collected a ton of data for decades • eMOLT and Drifter Track archive is just a subset and is a relatively new addition • Most of it is now served either through: • Point & click MapServer interface • OPeNDAP protocols • We are still using an old DODS relational database server on a 10 year old LINUX box • James.manning@noaa.gov