Transcript Document

The TAXI Framework
November 19, 2006
Maggie Woo, Leah Oliver
Taxonomy and the
NatureServe Network
 NatureServe maintains information on both
common and rare species across North America
(including all Vascular Plants)
 NatureServe and its 76 Network members
exchange data on many of these species on an
annual basis
 Taxonomic reconciliation is not about making
network databases conform to Central view, but
to make sure local perspective is correctly
represented in the Central databases
What is critical to achieve?
require
relies on
Element
Matching
Data
Synchronization
Distributed
Queries
requires
require
Taxonomic
Updates
TAXI:
A Framework for
Synchronizing Taxonomic Change
Across a Distributed Network
TAXI Framework
 A generic framework for communicating
taxonomic changes
 Key objectives:
 All interested parties are notified of each
taxonomic change
 Each party can decide what to do with each
change
 The databases can be updated automatically
based on business rules
TAXI Components
 Taxi Capsule (xml document)
 Taxi Processor
 Taxi Registry Service
Capsule (XML Document)
 Standard, extensible, non-NatureServe
specific XML schema
 Content is bare (minimal)
 Describes a taxonomic change from the
perspective of the authoring organization's
point of view.
 Each organization may implement their
own extension of the Capsule.
Capsule Processor (API)
 Standard common way to handle a valid
Capsule from any organization
 Used to present Capsule information
 May also be used as part of a utility that
applies Capsule updates to a data source
 Each organization may implement their
own processor
TAXI Registry Service
 Public-facing way to expose change
history for a particular capsule-generating
organization
 Each approved capsule is "loaded" or
"registered"
 Anyone can query to view change history
for particular names within the Registry
 Each organization may implement their
own registry
Objective of the TAXI Framework
 Not designed to support the storage and transfer
of information about taxonomic concepts
 Not to assert that the relationships being made
between concepts are real, or recognized by any
other party besides the originator.
 It is simply designed to express changes made
to taxonomy that may be of interest to other
parties.
 May express changes that are mere “data entry”
corrections.
TAXI Services (optional)
 pushCapsule (push capsule to recipient
and activate remote capsule processing)
 pullCapsule (query remote registry,
retrieve capsule, and activate local
capsule processing)
 notifyOnApply (apply capsule locally and
send notification to remote registry or
other notification subscriber)
Taxonomic Reconciliation Tools
“TAXI”
Taxonomic Capsule Editor
Taxonomic Change Processor
TAXI Software
 Taxonomic Capsule Editor (creates
Capsule XML Document)
 Taxonomic Change Processor
(implements Capsule Processor)
 NatureServe Taxonomic Change Registry
(implements TAXI Registry Service)
Taxonomic Capsule Editor
Biotics Central
Database
Taxonomic Change
High Level Process Overview
Create and edit capsule
See other documents for complete view of all
user types, actions, and screen shots.
Central Scientist
Central Staff Loads Capsule
Capsule
Capsules (on file system)
Taxonomic Analysis and
eXchange Interface (TAXI)
Capsule Processing Engine
notifies TAXI of decision
and disposition
TAXI sends capsule
to each Biotics System’s
Capsule Processing Engine
Capsule Processing
Engine (apply change)
at each Biotics System
Each Biotics System where the
taxonomic change is pertinent
must process the capsule.
Taxonomic
Change UI
(web browser)
User’s decision
is translated
into
database actions
Capsule Processing
Engine (apply
change) at each
Biotics System
Staff
Central or Local
Staff reviews
requested change,
answers prompts,
and as applicable,
change is made to
their system.
Engine sends notification
to appropriate user.
User opens email
Biotics
Database
Taxonomic Analysis and
eXchange Interface (TAXI)
Taxonomic Change
High Level Process Overview
Receive and apply capsule
TAXI sends capsule
to each Biotics System’s
Capsule Processing Engine
See other documents for complete view of all
user types, actions, and screen shots.
Capsule Processing Engine
notifies TAXI of decision
and disposition
Capsule Processing Engine (apply change) at each Biotics System
External notification
system
Receives capsule and
checks database for
applicability.
Taxonomic Change UI
(web browser)
Staff
Biotics Database
User’s decision is translated
into database actions
Updates database as
applicable.
Central or Local
Staff reviews requested
change, answers prompts,
and as applicable, change is
made to their system.
User opens email
Engine sends notification
to appropriate user.
Internal notification
System