Geo-Seas has adopted the SeaDataNet infrastructure approach and components to interconnect its geological and geophysical data centres and their collections. The SeaDataNet architecture makes use of web technologies, such as SOAP web services for various communication tasks and for providing supporting services for XML metadata validation, serving common vocabularies, authentication of users for data access, and handling the data transaction process between the portal and the interconnected data centres. This is done by web applications. In addition, Java software modules are used for editing and generating metadata files in XML, converting data formats, and for connecting local data centres to the central portal for queries and downloading services.
The standards have been adapted, where needed, for Geo-Seas purposes. This was done after a Geo-Seas examination and further analysis of the Common Data Index (CDI) metadata format, data transport formats and common vocabularies, taking SeaDataNet as basis, but also taking into account international practice and experience from the GeoSciML and One-Geology Europe projects. It has resulted in a number of adaptions for Geo-Seas in good cooperation with the SeaDataNet Technical Task Group that is governing the standards:
Upgrade of the CDI metadata format,
Further extension of the CDI metadata format for seismic data sets,
Extension of the Common Vocabularies,
Extension of supported standard data formats,
Quality Flag scale.
The upgraded standards have also required an upgrading of specific web applications and software tools. For Geo-Seas upgraded versions have been developed for:
MIKADO XML metadata editor software tool,
NEMO ASCII files conversion software tool,
Ends&Bends navigation files software tool,
Download Manager software component.
Note: The software is hosted at the SeaDataNet website, because the upgraded standards, web applications and software tools have been adopted by SeaDataNet enriching the overall infrastructure and its ability to cope with a wide range of data types.