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5 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF WIS

5.1 General

5.1.1 Fifteen Technical Specifications (WIS TechSpecs) define the interfaces to the major WIS functions. The specifications for these interfaces are named and numbered as follows:

1. Uploading of Metadata for Data and Products
2. Uploading of Data and Products
3. Centralization of Globally Distributed Data
4. Maintenance of User Identification and Role Information
5. Consolidated View of Distributed Identification and Role Information
6. Authentication of a User
7. Authorization of a User Role
8. DAR Catalogue Search and Retrieval
9. Consolidated View of Distributed DAR Metadata Catalogues
10. Downloading Files via Dedicated Networks
11. Downloading Files via Non-dedicated Networks
12. Downloading Files via Other Methods
13. Maintenance of Dissemination Metadata
14. Consolidated View of Distributed Dissemination Metadata Catalogues
15. Reporting of Quality of Service

5.1.2 NCs shall support seven of the 15 Technical Specifications, specifically: WIS-TechSpec-1, -2, -4, -10, -11, -12, and -15. An NC can arrange through bilateral agreements for another NC, a DCPC or a GISC to perform functions on its behalf.

5.1.3 According to the particular requirements of a DCPC in its programme role, DCPCs shall support up to 13 of the 15 Technical Specifications. DCPCs are not required to support WIS-TechSpec-3 and WIS-TechSpec-9.

5.1.4 WIS GISCs shall support all 15 Technical Specifications.

5.1.5 Any DCPC or NC is welcome to implement interfaces beyond the minimum required. Accordingly, the Technical Specification is mandatory wherever the interface is required to be applied.

5.1.6 The GTS file naming convention shall be used for files and the associated metadata record whenever it is necessary. The GTS file naming convention is documented in GTS Manual (WMO No. 386, Vol. 1, Part II, Attachment II-15).

Note: Guide to WIS 5.1 references "WIS Compliance Specifications for GISCs, DCPCs, and NCs", provided as supplementary guidance for WIS Centres.

5.2 WIS-TechSpec-1: Uploading of Metadata for Data and Products

5.2.1 This specification requires that each metadata record uploaded shall be represented in compliance with the WMO Core Metadata Profile of ISO 19115 version 1.2, with a unique identifier. Note: Guide to WIS 5.2 references "Metadata Representation", which defines the WMO Core Metadata Profile.

5.2.2 Uploading shall use methods prescribed by the receiver, which is typically the host of a WIS DAR Metadata Catalogue.

5.2.3 DAR Metadata should be provided prior to the files or messages associated with the metadata.

5.2.4 For updating the DAR Metadata Catalogue, GISCs should support two kinds of maintenance facilities: a file upload facility for batch updating (add, replace, or delete metadata records treated as separate files); and an online form for changing metadata entries in the DAR Metadata Catalogue (add, change, or delete of elements in a record as well as whole records).

5.2.5 GISCs shall maintain the updated DAR Metadata Catalogue as a searchable resource (see WIS-TechSpec-8).

5.2.6 See also sections: 4.5.2 (Receive Information from GISC Area); 4.6.2 (Collect Information from DCPC Area); 4.6.3 (Collect Programme-Related Information); 4.6.4 (Produce Programme-Related Information).

5.3 WIS-TechSpec-2: Uploading of Data and Products

5.3.1 This specification requires that data or products uploaded shall be represented in the manner prescribed by the relevant programme, including where appropriate the then-current GTS Manual, A.II-2, the Manual on Codes, and other WMO manual(s) and the GTS file naming convention as noted in 5.1.6.

5.3.2 Data and products should be handled as specified in Manual on GTS, Vol. I, Part I, 1.3 Design Principles of the GTS, and other WMO manual(s), specific to the relevant programme.

5.3.3 See also sections: 4.5.2 (Receive Information from GISC Area); 4.6.2 (Collect Information from DCPC Area); 4.6.3 (Collect Programme-Related Information); 4.6.4 (Produce Programme-Related Information).

5.4 WIS-TechSpec-3: Centralization of Globally Distributed Data

5.4.1 This specification requires that GTS Manual, Attachment I-3 is applied as appropriate to the centralized copies of information intended for global exchange (described at 4.5.1).

5.4.2 Warnings shall be transmitted end-to-end within WIS within two minutes.

5.4.3 See also sections 4.5.3 (Exchange Information with Other GISCs), and 4.5.5 (Maintain 24 hour Cache).

5.5 WIS-TechSpec-4: Maintenance of User Identification and Role Information

5.5.1 User identification and role information shall be represented and communicated using methods prescribed by the receiver, which is typically the host of an identification and role information database.

Note: The term "user identification" in this context does not imply that a user is personally identifiable. Administrators of authentication and authorization at WIS Centres need to share updated identification and role information as a resource available across WIS Centres. Yet, it is necessary to prevent the inappropriate disclosure of any personally identifiable information.

5.5.2 User identification and role information maintenance should satisfy timeliness requirements of the application and host centre.

5.5.3 See also sections: 4.5.5 (Maintain 24 hour Cache), and 4.6.7 (Provide Access to Information).

5.6 WIS-TechSpec-5: Consolidated View of Distributed Identification and Role Information

5.6.1 This interface for a consolidated view of distributed identification and role information is not yet required. (see also Note at 5.5.1)

5.6.2 WIS Centres that do exchange identification and role information should do so using data encryption technologies.

5.6.3 See also sections: 4.5.5 (Maintain 24 hour Cache), and 4.6.7 (Provide Access to Information).

5.7 WIS-TechSpec-6: Authentication of a User

5.7.1 WIS Centres should employ authentication standards, which may include public key infrastructure techniques.
Note: Commercial, off-the-shelf authentication software based on industry and/or international standards should be preferred.

5.7.2 User authentication should satisfy application-specific and host centre processing constraints, and shall provide a quality of service that meets user requirements.

5.7.4 See also sections: 4.5.5 (Maintain 24 hour Cache), and 4.6.7 (Provide Access to Information).

5.8 WIS-TechSpec-7: Authorization of a User Role

5.8.1 WIS Centres should employ government-endorsed standards for user authorization software, techniques and procedures.

5.8.3 User authorization should satisfy application-specific and host centre processing constraints, and shall provide a quality of service that meets user requirements.

5.8.4 See also sections: 4.5.5 (Maintain 24 hour Cache), and 4.6.7 (Provide Access to Information).

5.9 WIS-TechSpec-8: DAR Catalogue Search and Retrieval

5.9.1 This specification requires that each metadata catalogue host shall support the SRU (Search and Retrieve via URL) specification of the ISO 23950 Information Search and Retrieval Protocol. A WIS compliant SRU server shall support SRU version 1.1, the SRU searchRetrieve operation, the SRU Explain operation, the diagnostic schema for returning errors, and SRU Contextual Query Language (CQL) level 2.

5.9.2 In addition to full text search, a WIS compliant SRU server shall search: at least eight indexes as character strings (abstract, title, author, keywords, format, identifier, type, crs (Coordinate Reference System)): at least five indexes as ordered dates (creationDate, modificationDate, publicationDate, beginningDate, endingDate): and the index "bounds" as geographic coordinates (decimal degrees, space delimited, in the order north, west, south, east).
Note: Guide to WIS 5.9 references the "WIS SRU Implementors Note".

5.9.3 The search service should shall provide a quality of service that meets user requirements.

5.9.4 See also sections: 4.5.6 (Discovery Access and Retrieval), and 4.6.8 (Describe Information with Metadata).

5.10 WIS-TechSpec-9: Consolidated View of Distributed DAR Metadata Catalogues

5.10.1 GISCs should exchange metadata catalogue updates using version 2 of Open Archives Initiative - Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH).

5.10.2 The exchange of metadata catalogue updates should satisfy that distributed instances of DAR Metadata do not diverge in content by more than one day. A mechanism for rapid update on an emergency basis should also be provided.

5.10.3 See also section 4.5.6 (Discovery Access and Retrieval).

5.11 WIS-TechSpec-10: Downloading Files via Dedicated Networks

5.11.1 This specification requires that data or products downloaded shall be represented in the manner prescribed by the relevant programme, including where appropriate the GTS Manual, A.II-2 and other WMO manual(s) and the GTS file naming convention as noted in 5.1.6.

5.11.2 Data and products should be handled as specified in Part I, 1.3 Design Principles of the GTS, and other WMO manual(s), specific to the relevant programme.

5.11.3 See also sections: 4.5.4 (Disseminate Information to GISC Area), and 4.6.6 (Provide Information Intended for Global Exchange).

5.12 WIS-TechSpec-11: Downloading Files via Non-dedicated Networks

5.12.1 This specification requires that data or products downloaded shall be represented and communicated in a manner appropriate to the relevant programme.

5.12.2 Data and products should be handled as specified in Part I, 1.3 Design Principles of the GTS, and other WMO manual(s), specific to the relevant programme.

5.12.3 See also sections: 4.5.4 (Disseminate Information to GISC Area), and 4.6.6 (Provide Information Intended for Global Exchange).

5.13 WIS-TechSpec-12: Downloading Files via Other Methods

5.13.1 This specification requires that data or products downloaded shall be represented and communicated in a manner appropriate to the relevant programme.

5.13.2 Data and products should be handled as specified in Part I, 1.3 Design Principles of the GTS, and other WMO manual(s), specific to the relevant programme.

5.13.3 See also sections: 4.5.4 (Disseminate Information to GISC Area), and 4.6.6 (Provide Information Intended for Global Exchange).

5.14 WIS-TechSpec-13: Maintenance of Dissemination Metadata

5.14.1 This specification requires that dissemination metadata (including subscription information such as accounts and delivery particulars) shall be represented and communicated as prescribed by the host of the database of dissemination metadata.

5.14.2 Requests for changes to dissemination for information not part of the routine global exchange may be subject to the notification period for changes specified in GTS. Otherwise, changes to dissemination should apply within one day.

5.14.3 See also sections: 4.5.6 (Discovery Access and Retrieval), and 4.6.6 (Provide Information Intended for Global Exchange).

5.15 WIS-TechSpec-14: Consolidated View of Distributed Dissemination Metadata Catalogues

5.15.1 This interface is not yet required. This interface may be needed as part of a backup arrangement between centres.

5.15.2 Distributed instances of dissemination metadata should not diverge in content by more than one week.

5.15.3 See also section 4.5.6 (Discovery Access and Retrieval).

5.16 WIS-TechSpec-15: Reporting of Quality of Service

5.16.1 This specification requires that the reporting of quality of service shall be represented and communicated as prescribed by the host of the centralized reporting database.

5.16.2 Reports should be sent on a schedule determined by the centralized reporting manager based on the needs of WIS Centres.

5.16.3 See also sections: 4.5.7 (Network Connectivity of GISC); 4.5.8 (Coordinate Telecommunications in GISC Area); 4.5.9 (Recovery Arrangements of GISC), 4.5.10 (Performance Monitoring of a GISC); 4.6.9 (Recovery Arrangements of a DCPC); 4.6.10 (Performance Monitoring of a DCPC).