National Information Exchange Model Briefing for FGDC HSWG

1
National Information Exchange Model Briefing for
FGDC HSWG

• David Li, Ph.D.
• Geospatial Management Office, DHS
• Feb 16, 2006

2
Introduction

• National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) was
  launched in February 2005 by U.S. Department of
  Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of Homeland
  Security (DHS) Chief Information Officers (CIO).
• Authority and Motivation for NIEM comes from the
  Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5
  (HSPD-5) and the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
• NIEM Focuses on Cross-Domain Information Exchange
  Package (IEP) Standards for Data Exchanged among
  Agencies as part of their Current or Intended
  Business Practices.
• NIEM will Standardize the Information Exchange
  Package Contents, Provide tools, and Manage
  Processes.

3
Significance of NIEM

• NIEM is Envisioned to be the Data Model to
  facilitate the Information Exchange Package (IEP)
  Development in the Federal Enterprise
  Architecture (FEA) Data Reference Model (DRM).
• IEP is a set of data that is shared for a
  specific business purpose the actual transmitted
  XML instance that delivers the payload or
  information (on the wire).
• NIEM is Proposed as the Basis of the DHS
  Enterprise Logical Data Model (ELDM).
• DHS ELDM is Identified as the Prerequisite of the
  Implementation of the DHS Enterprise Service
  Oriented Architecture (SOA) in the DHS Enterprise
  Architecture (EA).
• NIEM will facilitate Information Exchange among
  DHS components and Between DHS and States and
  Locals to Improve Situation Awareness Capability.

4
NIEM Architecture
Core jointly governed through the NIEM
governing body
NIEM Core (a collection of namespaces)
Core
Universal
The minimally supported set for all
participating domainsuniversally understood
very stable minimal or no subsetting
Structures
Common
Requires joint governance and reconciliation but
relatively stable
Where NIEM tiger teams operate
Intelligence

• NIEM Participants
• Bring domain content to NIEM.
• Conform to NIEM NDR.
• Agree to NIEM governance policies and procedures.
• Participate in NIEM governance.

Justice
Emergency Mgt
Geospatial
Domains
Immigration
Intl Trade
Governed by NIEM Technical Architecture Group
(NTAG)that coordinate and cooperate with the
NIEM governing body
5
NIEM IEP Concept
Information ExchangePackage Descriptions (IEPDs)
Virtual Object Reuse Repository types,
properties, business containers, message
constructs, service metadata,
AmberAlertltAmberAlertgt
Core
TransportltTransportgt
Justice
Intelligence
IEPDTemplate
EDXL_Msg
Universal
Structures
Geospatial
Common
EmergencyManagement
Transportation
HomelandSecurity
IEPDs
Semanticallyconsistentacross alldomains
reusable components
New IEPDs
Tools, methods, mapping, process,
training,etc.
New IEPDs
GovernanceBodies
CollaborativeTools (for distributedconsensus)
New components
ExchangeRequirements
New reusablecomponents
6
NIEM Schedule
NOW
2005
2006
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
NIEM
RC Release Candidate
New features in NIEM 0.2 based on GJXDM 3.1 (NOT
dependent on XSTF approval of 3.1)
Spreadsheet marks GJXDM for NIEM partitioning
Begin to buildtest msgs
NIEM 1.0 Operational
NIEM 1.0-beta for public comment
RC
0.3
1.0b
NIEM 0.1
NIEM 1.1
.xls
0.4
public comment
0.2
feedback
feedback
NIEM workshops (in Jan and May) digest feedback
collected by conference calls and NIEM
Configuration Control Tool
Based on refactoredGJXDM 3.0.3
Tools
0.2
SSGT 0.1
IEPDT 1.0
IEPDT 1.n
IEPD Tool 0.3
0.4
Formal governance in place
governance planning
Interim NIEM governance
7
Geospatial NIEM Insertion

• DHS Geospatial Management Office

8
Background

• 80 of ALL data can be related to a geographic
  location or feature on the earths surface.
• There are significant existing investments on
  geospatial standards, encoding schema for
  information exchange and interoperability, and
  related vendor implementations.
• Standards organizations and consortia, including
  ISO/TC211, the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC),
  the U.S. Federal Geographic Data Committee
  (FGDC), the Urban and Regional Information
  Systems Association (URISA), the Organization
  for the Advancement of Structured Information
  Systems (OASIS), the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA),
  and the Emergency Interoperability Consortium
  (EIC), have invested years, and in some cases
  more than a decade of effort in developing
  consensus standards for geospatial information
  and technology, and promoting the commercial
  adoption of those standards.
• The DHS Geospatial Management Office (GMO) has a
  Mandate to Manage DHS Geospatial Assets.

9
Approach

• Geospatial NIEM Proposed Insertion takes a
  Standard-Based Approach Incorporate Significant
  ISO, FGDC, OGC and Other Geospatial Standards
• Promote Interoperability though International and
  National Standards
• Leverage Existing Geospatial Investments

10
Core Geospatial Data Types and Associated
Geospatial Standards

1. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and
   U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), National
   Information Exchange Model, version 0.2,
   December, 2005. http//niem.gov/niem02.php
2. International Standards Organization, "ISO 19136
   Geographic information - Geography Markup
   Language (GML)," February, 2004. This document is
   equivalent to following document.
3. Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc., "OpenGIS
   Geography Markup Language (GML) Encoding
   Specification, version 3.1.1," OGC Document
   Number 03-105r1, http//portal.opengeospatial.org/
   files/?artifact_id4700
4. Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc., "GML simple
   features profile, version 0.0.28," OGC Document
   Number 05-033r18, not yet publicly available.
5. Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc., "OpenGIS
   Location Service (OpenLS) Implementation
   Specification Core Services, version 1.1," OGC
   Document Number 05-016, http//portal.opengeospati
   al.org/files/?artifact_id8836
6. Federal Geographic Data Committee, Address
   Standards Working Group, "Street Address Data
   Standard, Working Draft 2.0," November 2005,
   http//www.urisa.org/FGDC_addr_standard/05-11.2ndD
   raft.CompleteDoc.pdf
7. Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc., "Observations
   and Measurements, version 0.11.0," OGC Document
   Number 05-087r1, not yet publicly available.
8. International Standards Organization, "ISO 19134
   Geographic information Location Based Services
   Multimodal routing and navigation, April,
   2004.
9. International Standards Organization, "ISO 19128
   Geographic information Web Map Server
   interface, November, 2005.
10. International Standards Organization, "ISO 19141
    Geographic information Schema for moving
    features, May, 2005.
11. Organization for the Advancement of Structured
    Information Standards (OASIS), OASIS Standard
    CAP-V1.1, October, 2005. http//www.oasis-open.o
    rg/committees/download.php/14759/emergency
12. LandXML.org, LandXML-1.1 Schema, December,
    2005. http//www.landxml.org/schema/LandXML-1.1/L
    andXML-1.1.xsd
13. International Alliance for Interoperability
    (IAI), Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)2x2,
    Addendum 1 July, 2004. http//www.iai-internati
    onal.org/Model/IFC(ifcXML)Specs.html
14. Federal Geographic Data Committee, Homeland
    Security Working Group, "Guidelines for Homeland
    Security Infrastructure Protection Geospatial
    Data Content, Version 1.0 (FOUO)," December 2005.
    Contact gmo_at_dhs.gov to request access.

Type Standards
Feature ISO Geography Markup Language (GML) 2, and OGC GML simple feature profile 3
Location (Object) ISO GML 2, Open Location Services (OpenLS) 4, and FGDC Street Address Data Standard 5
Coverage ISO GML 2
Observation OGC Observations and Measurements 6
Route1 Open Location Services (OpenLS) 4, and ISO Location Based Services Multimodal routing and navigation 7
Map ISO Web Map Server interface 8
Mobile Object ISO GML 2, and ISO Schema for moving features 9
Alert OASIS Common Alert Protocol (CAP) 10, and ISO GML 2
Structure LandXML 11 and ifcXML 12
HSIP FGDC Homeland Security Infrastructure Protection (HSIP) Geospatial Data Content 13 and the types Feature, Location, and Address

11
Recommendations

• Add Geospatial Types to NIEM within a Separate
  Geospatial Namespace from those that currently
  exist.
• Add Geospatial Standard-Based Definitions from
  the provided schema (see the associated proposed
  insertion package) under a target geospatial
  namespace for use in all NIEM Information
  Exchange Packages (IEP) if geospatial types are
  needed.
• Existing NIEM processes can continue to use
  existing NIEM definitions for geospatial
  components, such as location type, but those
  definitions should be deprecated in favor of the
  standards-based, industry-compatible types
  described in the associated geospatial schema
  package.
• Future NIEM processes should be designed and
  constructed to use the Geospatial Standard-Based
  Definitions for NIEM Geospatial Core Types.

12
Recommendations Geospatial Schema Package
File Contents
hsip.xsd The schema for the Homeland Security Infrastructure Protection (HSIP) IEP. This was drafted as a separate schema under the assumption that it is for the NIEM HSIP domain, not part of the NIEM core. If that assumption is incorrect, the definitions in this schema can be moved to geoSpatial4niem.xsd and edited to share the core NIEM geospatial target namespace and prefix.
geoSpatial4niem.xsd The schema of core geospatial types for NIEM, including Feature, Location, Coverage, and Observation types. It is a GML Application Schema that defines types following NIEM conventions for identity, associations, roles and metadata by extending XML types from geospatial standards.
gml4niem.xsd A profile of Open Geospatial Consortium Geography Markup Language (GML) version 3.1.1 schemas for NIEM version 0.2. Deprecated GML3.1.1 types like gid are eliminated because they will not be included in the ISO TC/211 19136 version of the GML standard. Includes support for Feature, Location, Coverage, and Observation types.
xls4niem.xsd A profile of Open Geospatial Consortium OpenLS schema for NIEM. Supports the Location and Route types
om4niem.xsd Support for Observation type.
StreetAddressDataStandard.xsd The schema for the FGDC Address Data Content Standard, used by the Location type.
context4niem.xsd Adaptation of OGC Web Map Context schema, that imports version 1.0.20 definitions from the StyledLayerDescriptor schema instead of the version 1.0.0 ones used by the standard. Used by the Map type.
StyledLayerDescriptor4niem.xsd Supporting Styled Layer Description (SLD) schema for Web Map Context. Used by the Map type.
filter4niem.xsd Supporting schema for SLD. Used by the Map type.
xlinks.xsd Supporting schema for Observations, Context, and SLD.
hsipSample.xml Sample instance document for HSIP IEP.
13
Some Technical Design Considerations

• Adopt the GML type/property element naming
  convention that uses LeadingUpperCamelCase
  names for elements of XML complex types derived
  from gmlAbstractGMLType, and leadingLowerCamelCa
  se names for attributes, attribute groups,
  elements of simple type and for gml property
  types that follow the design pattern of
  gmlAssociationType, gml_association element,
  gmlFeaturePropertyType, and gmlfeatureProperty
  element.
• Geospatial Namespace targetNamespace"http//niem
  .gov/niem/gs"
• Follow NIEM conventions, it uses substitution
  groups and roles rather than XML/Schema choice
  model groups to offer alternative definitions of
  an object where one type would not satisfy all
  use case requirements.
• Use abstract address type serves as the head of a
  substitution group that includes elements of a
  variety of different address types from different
  sources, including OpenLS, the URISA/FGDC
  StreetAddressDataStandard, and NIEM. An
  application schema can define a complex type that
  includes a reference to this element when any
  element in the substitution group may occur in an
  instance document.

14
An Example LocationType

• ltcomplexType name"LocationType"gt
• ltcomplexContentgt
• ltextension base"uSuperType"gt
• ltsequencegt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfPoint" minOccurs"0"
  maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfLineString"
  minOccurs"0" maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfPolygon" minOccurs"0"
  maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfMultiGeometry"
  minOccurs"0" maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfMultiPoint"
  minOccurs"0" maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfMultiCurve"
  minOccurs"0" maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfMultiSurface"
  minOccurs"0" maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfCircleByCenterPoint"
  minOccurs"0" maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfArcByCenterPoint"
  minOccurs"0" maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfFeature" minOccurs"0"
  maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfEllipse" minOccurs"0"
  maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfMultiPolygon"
  minOccurs"0" maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfPosition" minOccurs"0"
  maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfPointOfInterest"
  minOccurs"0" maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt
• ltelement ref"gsRoleOfAreaOfInterest"
  minOccurs"0" maxOccurs"unbounded"/gt

15
Exchange XML Documents
Data File

• Data pulled from a structured data file
• Modeled with an XML schema
• Transport data in valid XML instance
• Can transform w/ XSL for display

DB
Doc
Database

• Data pulled from a database
• Modeled with an XML schema
• Transport data in valid XML instance
• Can transform w/ XSL for display
• Data loaded into receiving database

16
An Exchanged XML Instance Example
ltHSIPFeatureCollection xmlns"http//niem.gov/niem
/hsip" xmlnsaddr"http//wfs.co.fulton.ga.us/uris
a/addr_std/addr" xmlnsgml"http//www.opengis.net
/gml" xmlnsgs"http//niem.gov/niem/gs"
xmlnsi"http//niem.gov/niem/appinfo/0.2"
xmlnss"http//niem.gov/niem/structures/0.2"
xmlnsu"http//niem.gov/niem/universal/0.2"
xmlnsx"http//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
xmlnsxls"http//www.opengis.net/xls"
xmlnsxsi"http//www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instan
ce" xsischemaLocation"http//niem.gov/niem/hsip
hsip.xsd" gmlid"ID000000"gt
ltgmldescriptiongtSampleHSIPFeatureCollectionlt/gml
descriptiongt ltgmlname codeSpace"http//www.n
iem.gov"gtSamplelt/gmlnamegt ltgmlboundedBygt ltg
mlEnvelope srsName"urnEPSGgeographicCRS4326"
srsDimension"2"gt ltgmllowerCornergt-74.35
34.58lt/gmllowerCornergt ltgmlupperCornergt-74.31
34.77lt/gmlupperCornergt lt/gmlEnvelopegt
lt/gmlboundedBygt lthsipFeatureMembergt ltPrivate
BankingAndCreditInstitution gmlid"Citibank47"
smetadata"Citibank47Address Citibank47Point
slinkMetadata"Citibank47Location
Citibank47POC"gt ltgsaddressPropertygt ltgsSiteA
ddress sid"Citibank47Address"gt ltaddrComplete
AddressNumbergt ltaddrNumbergt234lt/addrNumbergt
lt/addrCompleteAddressNumbergt ltaddrComplete
StreetNamegt ltaddrStreetNamePreDirectionalgtNOR
THlt/addrStreetNamePreDirectionalgt ltaddrStree
tNamegtMainlt/addrStreetNamegt ltaddrStreetNameP
ostTypegtSTREETlt/addrStreetNamePostTypegt lt/addr
CompleteStreetNamegt ltaddrPlaceNamegt ltaddr
MunicipalJurisdictiongtRockvillelt/addrMunicipalJu
risdictiongt lt/addrPlaceNamegt lt/gsaddressPro
pertygt ltgmlgeometryPropertygt ltgsPoint
gmlid"Citibank47Point"gt ltgmlposgt-74.312345
34.678901lt/gmlposgt lt/gsPointgt lt/gmlgeometr
yPropertygt ltgslocationPropertygt ltgsLocation
sid"Citibank47Location"gt
ltgsRoleOfPoint sid"Citibank47PointLocation"
sref"Citibank47Point"/gt
ltgsRoleOfUrisaSiteAddress sid"Citibank47Address
Location" sref"Citibank47Address"/gt lt/gsLoca
tiongt lt/gslocationPropertygt lt/PrivateBankingAn
dCreditInstitutiongt lt/hsipFeatureMembergt
17
For More Information

• To Learn More on NIEM Concept of Operations and
  NIEM Schema http//niem.gov
• To Get a Copy of DHS GMO Geospatial NIEM
  Insertion Package, Please Contact Mike Lee at
  Michael.P.Lee_at_dhs.gov (Comments and Suggestions
  are Highly Appreciated)
• For All Other Questions, Contact Dr. David Li at
  david.li_at_associates.dhs.gov (telephone
  202-205-5467)