1-2-3 February 2006 –Page 1 Mersea Integrated System How to improve Access/Downloading services ? How far do we go in terms of standardization ?

1-2-3 February 2006 –Page 2 1.a Overview of Mersea Services Services - provided to external users (Following the INSPIRE directory ) –Service 1: DISCOVERY TOP1  Information on TEPs Catalog of products with link to viewing & downloading services with access conditions –Service 2: VIEW TOP1  Link to standalone view services LAS for gridded products – restricted access Central viewing service – public access –Service 3: ACCESS/DOWNLOAD TOP1  Not activated at Mersea level

1-2-3 February 2006 –Page 3 1.b Overview of Mersea Functions Functions - to reach user services –Function 1: PRODUCTION TOP1  For viewing and assessment needs Production, archival, delivery under responsibility of each data center –Function 2: MONITORING TOP1  Not activated, However definition and practices –Function 3: QUALITY/ASSESSMENT TOP1  6 months period after TOP1 –Function 4: PRODUCTS & SERVICES MANAGEMENT (data management in a network) TOP1  For visibility of product line, services available & access conditions (cf. discovery metadata) –Function 5: USER DESK TOP1  Not activated, However definition and practices

1-2-3 February 2006 –Page 4 2. Where “standardisation” is needed ?  To offer a quality service to users together with reliability of products  To enable interoperability & sustainability of services It is requested to define and use standards on critical elements that are products and dissemination servers (see the green stars ). PRODUCTION DISSEMINATION discovery,viewing,download opendap + aggregation web catalogue ftp other catalogues data discovery metadata accompanying products Users Client-applications VISU 2D VISU 3D

1-2-3 February 2006 –Page 5 3.a Issue1 = Products Standardization (1)Best estimate concept for product line (concept for time series and geographical areas) (1bis)Predictable file naming (cf. Mersea nomenclature) (2)Provide “discovery metadata” (ISO XML template) (operational system & product line description) (2bis)Apply ocean convention (parameter names and units) (COARDS/CF) - Thesaurus (3)Use a common standard data format structure (self describing, version management). (3bis)A minimum set of common public parameters - for viewing & assessment ? (3ter)Include a reduced set of metadata (Specific Mersea ?) (3…)Apply ocean convention (parameter names and units) (COARDS/CF) (3…)Coordinate system projection (for GIS systems)

1-2-3 February 2006 –Page 6 3.b Issue 1 = Products Standardization (4) Converge on common accompanying products (at product line level and at product data level)  Contextual / history file, product lineage, online reference to track of changes in the time series  Copyright file  User manual (cf. for downscaling)  Quicklook maps (5)Others ?

1-2-3 February 2006 –Page 7 3.c Issue 2 = Dissemination Standardization (1)Distribute your data products with FTP (1bis)Simultaneously, deliver or give visibility to needed accompanying products. (2)Distribute your data products with OpenDAP (2bis)Configure your Opendap servers to have data aggregated (cf. best estimate time-series) (2ter)Simultaneously, deliver or give visibility/access to needed accompanying products. (2…)Notify the federating LAS or other central tool of Opendap availability & updates (at least for gridded products) (3)Provide “discovery metadata” (ISO XML template) for services description (discovery, download, viewing, transformation, qualification, monitoring...)

1-2-3 February 2006 –Page 8 3.d Issue 2 = Dissemination Standardization (4)Provide minimum set of tools to manipulate data ?  Procedures for changing formats  Tools for basic visualisation (cf. google earth ?)  Tools for basic extractions (cf. LAS)  Tools for timeliness information (+ green light) (5)Others ?

1-2-3 February 2006 –Page 9 3.e Issue 3 = Legend information  Comments to appear with plots  Mersea geographical target  Parameters, units  MERSEA nomenclature  Logos  Temporal Information  Depth information  Statistics information