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Enhancing Interoperability in the Information Environment Service Registry

Explore the middleware layer connecting network and applications, the JISC Information Environment, challenges faced, user needs, shared services, and the IESR pilot project's aims, stages, and benefits. Discover how it aims to simplify access to scholarly and educational resources.

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Enhancing Interoperability in the Information Environment Service Registry

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  1. Collection description as Middleware The Information Environment Service Registry (IESR) Rachel Bruce, Information Environment, Team Leader CDF, Showcase,25 March, 2003

  2. Talk overview • The JISC Information Environment (IE) & middleware/shared services • Information Environment Service Registry (IESR) – pilot • Challenges & why

  3. What is Middleware • Middleware, or "glue", is a layer of software between the network and the applications. This software provides services such as identification, authentication, authorization, directories, and security. In today's Internet, applications usually have to provide these services themselves, which leads to competing and incompatible standards. By promoting standardization and interoperability, middleware will make advanced network applications much easier to use. Internet2 Middleware Initiative

  4. What is the JISC Information Environment? • tobuild an on-line information environment providing secure and convenient access to a comprehensive collection of scholarly and educational material JISC 5-year strategy

  5. JISC IE Architecture • Provides a set of standards & protocols that support the development & delivery of integrated network services – allows the user to discover, access,use and publish digital & physical resources for their learning & research [teaching] Andy Powell, UKOLN

  6. Current situation-difficult to find Content (local and remote) Web Web Web Web Authentication Authorisation End-user needs to join services together manually - as well as learning multiple user interfaces End-user

  7. Future - easier to find Content Authentication Authorisation End-user is “automatically” presented with relevant resources through relevant channels Collection Description Portals Service Desc. Thesauri User Profiles End-user

  8. Shared Services • What are they?= machine readable services between the presentation layer and the content layer of the IE (middleware) • User profiling – so the right services can be delivered to the user • Collection description – high level description so portals, VLEs can locate relevant resources • Service description- technical metadata – to allow machines to know if they can interoperate with services • Other types of high level description- subject, educational levels, rights – high level finding aids for machines • Authentication & authorisation- right user, access rights • Terminology services-subject, place, help find the appropriate resource

  9. Portals • What are they?=’doorways’ to diverse content –provide cross-searching of distributed and otherwise discrete resources. • All experimental –how well do they address the discovery mechanism? • User centred discovery – for Learning & Teaching • Subject centred –humanities, engineering,leisure and tourism • Format & media type - Image • Building ‘portlet’ technology –plug it in to an institutional VLE?

  10. IESR-pilot • Service Registry – machine readable catalogue of high-quality resources • MIMAS, Cheshire, UKOLN • Completes end December 2003

  11. Descriptive metadata- derived from RSLP schema • Technical metadata- being finalised – does a collection have a Z target, is the associated metadata available via OAI etc.

  12. Descriptions from who? Initially: • AHDS, EDINA,Essex Data Archive etc. • Some publishers

  13. Pilot stages • Consultation with stakeholders (Content providers,shared services,end users etc.) • Development of software • Development of schema • Develop Interfaces • Populate • Evaluate

  14. Challenges • Keeping it economic and sustainable • Building, while still designing and researching • Cultural & organisational change • Granularity of collection • Integrating the IE with learning environments, the Research Grid and

  15. Why? • Portal (aggregator) surveys the environment • Seamless & integrated access • Awareness of collections • More use • Improved learning, teaching & research

  16. Further information • http://jisc.ac.uk/ie • http://www.mimas.ac.uk/iesr/ • JISC IE: rachel.bruce@jisc.ac.uk • IESR, Project Manager: amanda.hill@man.ac.uk

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