Implementation plan for initial establishment of a DAR metadata records for GTS traffic

Météo France, has agreed to establish a baseline set of DAR metadata records for GTS traffic. This is being done through a routine that extracts known metadata from WMO No. 9. Vol C1 and WMO No. 9. Vol A. More information on this routine is available on the (add wiki page when available)

The following key process points have been identified and can be updated by OPAG ISS members to refine.

1. Initialisation

The GTS DAR metadata will be provided initially by Météo France generated metadata

1. Action Météo France

2. Publication of metadata

This metadata will need to be put onto a web server for Members to access, review and approve. It is required to be either in human readable form eg word, or if they are published as xml records, there must be a style transform sheet or application that will allow the Members to read the metadata in formatted human readable (xml is not considered human readable in this sense).

1. Action ???

3. Letter to Members

Secretary General will send a note to all Members asking them to review the metadata and to provide feedback to Météo France.

1. Action Secretariat then Members (most likely GTS/WIS contact points)

4. Review of metadata

As a part of the start up process, Members will send their changes to Météo France for them to replace the metadata records with the updates. It is expected that unless Météo France create an interface for Members to update their metadata themselves, most updates will be in the form of word docs or lists of corrections (eg replace MD owner with someone from their office and appropriate contact details)

1. Action ???

5. Update of WMO 9. Vol A and C1

In the note from SG asking Members to review the metadata, he will highlight that if they do see errors or changes, they should send the changes to Météo France. They should also check their entries in Vol A and C for those records that have errors to make sure Vol A and C are updated via the proper channels.

1. Action Secretariat then Members (most likely GTS/WIS contact points)

6. Passing of responsibility of metadata to Members

The baseline metadata will be replaced by each country's own metadata as they become capable of doing so. Firstly, this could be by passing feedback of key elements of the GTS metadata to Météo France or by updating the Météo France metadata records and passing back to Météo France. In particular, it can be seen that there is an increasing uptake (or at least expectation) to use DWDs metadata software to generate their GTS metadata. This may change once Members have access to and can edit Météo France metadata.

1. Action ???

7. Members process for updating and managing metadata

In addition to using the DWD metadata generator, most countries will use something like Geonetwork or OpenWIS to manage their country specific metadata and most likely their GTS metadata. It is expected that they will export xml files of their GTS metadata and send to Météo France. Your attention is drawn to Australia that used a style transfer sheet to extract their national metadata and populate Geonetwork, creating thousands of national records. However, it is understood that they will use the Météo France baseline metadata for the GTS side, or use DWD generator to make their own.

1. Action ???

8. Going live on day 1

When the GISCs go operational following Congress in 2011, it is expected for Météo France to provide the complete baseline GTS metadata (which would contain all the modifications made by Members in the review period) as the start up for all GISCs. Each GISC would then take over responsibility for the metadata in its AMDCN and add other metadata. As GISCs come online and Members develop the capability to manage their metadata, MF would stop maintaining the GTS metadata for that country.

1. Action ???

9. Post implementation transition

An important implementation step will then be to populate the DAR metadata for new GTS products that become available from Members not supported by a GISC. This role is expected to be maintained by Météo France, at least in initial stages, but not indefinitely.

1. Action Météo France

10. Timelines

This whole process up to step 8 should only be done once prior to mid 2011. Step 9 will be ongoing for at least one year or until the work is shared amongst GISCs

11. Quality control

Need something here about conformance testing of metadata and quality assurance processes

12. ...