The AODN maintains multiple GeoNetwork metadata catalogues to collate metadata and data holding information for IMOS and the broader Australian marine community. The metadata catalogues are used for public data asset discovery, with one of the catalogues enabling “faceted searching” and linkages to Web Map Services (WMS) and Download Services, key functionalities of the AODN Portal.
Earlier this month the Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) Team completed successfully the upgrade of the IMOS metadata catalogue (also called “catalogue-IMOS”), the first out of three GeoNetwork metadata catalogues, to be upgraded from GeoNetwork 2 (version 2.10) to GeoNetwork 3 (version 10.2).
“catalogue-IMOS” is the metadata catalogue that documents all IMOS metadata and data holdings.
The successful transition from the Marine Community Profile (MCP) version 2.0 to the new ISO 19115-3 standard is another significant achievement of this first phase of the project.
To ensure a smooth transition of “catalogue-IMOS” from GeoNetwork 2 to GeoNetwork 3, the AODN Development team meticulously scoped, and planned the project, focusing – over months – on developing the tools and code to form the technical underpinnings of integrating GeoNetwork 3 into the already existing AODN infrastructure. Associated tasks, included cleansing data, developing a data migration approach and working with the community to determine an agreed mapping of MCP to ISO 19115-3.
A production replica of the metadata catalogue was produced and underwent a multitude of testing, including –
- rigorous testing and assessment of the user interface of “catalogue-IMOS”, to ensure the integrity of the metadata was upheld through the migration of the production data from GeoNetwork 2 to GeoNetwork 3, and
- testing the interaction between the configuration of the upgraded GeoNetwork catalogue and the infrastructure of the AODN Portal (regression testing).
Project Next Phase
The next steps will be to upgrade the non-public metadata catalogue that enables key functionalities of the AODN Portal and the AODN Catalogue – the metadata catalogue documenting both IMOS and AODN contributors metadata and data holdings.
Some AODN contributors have already upgraded to GeoNetwork 3, and others have imminent upgrades pending. Where required, the AODN team will assist in these upgrades and in the transition of the metadata content from the MCP to the new ISo 19115-3 standard. The AODN team has ensured that whichever stage contributors are at in the upgrade process, their data will always be kept available.
For further information or questions please contact info(at)aodn.org.au