XMLEPA

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XML_at_EPA

• Veterans Administration
• April 10, 2001
• Brand Niemann
• U.S. EPA and FedStats Task Force
• niemann.brand_at_epa.gov

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Overview

• How Does XML Fit in the IT Mix?
• Participation in the W3C
• Participation in Other Standards Groups
• Participation in the Federal CIO XML WG
• Participation in the EPA XML TAG
• Attendance at XML Conferences
• Training Opportunities
• Some XML Applications
• An XML Content Network
• Demonstrations
• Some Contact Information
• Terminology Acronym Overview

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How Does XML Fit in the IT Mix?

• Answer XML Technology and Peer-to-Peer
  Architecture can make it all fit together better
  than ever before.
• Data and metadata are integrated in XML Tags
  (elements, attributes, entities), in XML Schema
  (data model), in Content Network Metadata.
• Data are integrated across legacy, distributed,
  proprietary database systems.
• Data networks and users are integrated with one
  another by Peer-to-Peer Distributed Computing.
• Reference GartnerGroup, The Emergence of
  Distributed Content Management and Peer-to-Peer
  Content Networks, January 2001, 20 pp.

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XML A Managers Guide

• Book Foreword by Dr. David A. Taylor
• If you think XML is just for techies, or arent
  sure what it is, youre already behind the curve.
• XML is the new standard for exchanging data
  electronically.
• XML is a better way of organizing Web content.
• XML will help you do a lot of things faster,
  better, and cheaper.
• XML is both elegant and deep.
• This book epitomizes structured access to
  information.

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Six databases need 30 filters
Oracle
Postgress
Sybase
mySQL
Informix
Access
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Six databases and an XML hub only need 12 filters
Oracle
Postgress
Sybase
mySQL
XML Hub
Informix
Access
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XML for interchangebetween applications
Database
GIS
Spreadsheet
XML Repository
XML
OLAP Data Warehouse
3D Visualization
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An XML document and a relational data model
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Desktop P2P
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Enterprise P2P
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Peer-to-Peer

• We are moving from a strong client-server
  architecture to one in which applications connect
  user-to-user, device-to-device, and
  program-to-program in distributed peer networks.
• OReilly P2P Conference
• February 2001

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Participation in the W3C

• World Wide Web Consortium
• Created in 1984 to lead the WWW to its full
  potential by developing common protocols that
  promote its evolution and ensure its
  interoperability.
• More than 500 organizations worldwide participate
  in this forum for information, commerce,
  communication, and collective understanding.
• http//www.w3.org/
• XML is the universal format for structured
  documents and data on the Web and became a W3C
  Recommendation in February 1998.

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Participation in Other Standards Groups

• XML.ORG The XML Industry Portal
• OASIS, the XML Interoperability Consortium.
• XML Cover Pages, comprehensive online reference
  for XML and SGML.
• CGM Open, OASIS Community of vendors and users.
• ebXML, enabling a global electronic marketplace
  through the exchange of XML messages.
• Registry for XML Schemas.
• http//www.xml.org/

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Participation in the Federal CIO XML WG

• Chartered by the Federal Chief Information
  Officers Council
• Directs agencies to create XML Working Groups and
  to participate in the Federal CIO WG activities.
• Web site (http//www.xml.gov)
• First generation released January 19th.
• Contemplating a registry/repository for
  government XML data elements, DTDs, schemas.
• May be used on a pilot basis to register the
  fields in Standard and Optional Forms (SFs and
  OFs).

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Participation in the EPA XML TAG

• Created and charted by the Office of Information
  Collection in July 2000 as an agency Technical
  Advisory Group (TAG).
• Active, but limited participation across the
  agency.
• Divided into Technical and Policy Subgroups that
  propose topics to discuss.
• Strong focus on the role of XML in state-EPA data
  exchange.
• Draft report on Requirements for an
  Environmental XML Registry being reviewed
  (February 2, 2001).

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Attendance at XML Conferences

• XML 2000, December 3-8, 2000
• Tutorials (28), Special Interest Day (7),
  Exhibitors (90), Sessions (108), and Guide and
  CD-ROM (2000).
• Conference Network
• http//www.conferencenetwork.com/conference_detail
  s.cfm?conference_id6
• 195 single user (free to attendees).

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Training Opportunities

• Introductory XML Training for the EPA, OTOP,
  NTSD, System Development Center, February 15 and
  March 8, 2001.
• Introduction to XML for the Web, GPO Institute
  for Federal Printing Electronic Publishing,
  September December 2000 and February, June,
  October 2001.
• http//www.gpo.gov/ifpep/catalog/xmlweb.html
• Commercial Providers/Certification Programs.

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Some XML Applications

• OEIs Central Data Exchange
• http//www.epa.gov/cdx/
• State/EPA Information Management Workgroup
• http//www.epa.gov/oei/imwg/
• OSWERs Digital Laboratory Data
• http//sedd.dyncorp.com/
• OSWERs CEPP Local Emergency Planning Committee
  Database
• http//www.epa.gov/ceppo/lepclist.htm
• OARs Online Allowance Tracking System
• http//www.epa.gov/airmarkt/tracking/index.html

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FedStats.Net Content Network

• Folders can contains files, databases, and Web
  resources.
• Folders can/should be on different Web servers,
  but look and function as though they are on the
  same Web server.
• This is accomplished by two new XML-based
  standards that send lean XML messages between the
  Web servers
• Content Network Protocol (CNP)
• eXtensible Indexing Language (XIL)
• Distributed folders and nodes can be managed both
  centrally and locally by the Content Network
  Manager and the Manage Content Administration
  Tools.

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FedStats.Net Content Network

• The interface consists of four parts links,
  folders, navigation aids, and customization
  features that can be readily changed to
  accommodate new content and user feedback.
• Information analysis, data modeling, and XML
  vocabulary development are needed to design and
  implement an XML-based content network.
• In several months, we expect to be able to
  demonstrate access to the Content Network from
  mobile devices!

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Some Demonstrations

• XML 2000 XML Standards Roadmap
• FileMaker Low Cost Relational Database for
  Mapping and XML
• Local Emergency Planning Committee Database
  Real-time Database Delivery and Updating
• EPA Integrated XML Registry and Repository A
  Node on the FedStats Content Network
• FedStats Content Network Information and
  Application Integration

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Some Contact Information

• W3C, Bruce Bargmeyer, 202-260-5306
• Federal CIO XML WG, Owen_Ambur_at_fws.gov
• EPA XML TAG, Steve Vineski, 202-260-6155
• EPA SDC XML Training, Chris Bullock, 202-260-3298
• GPO XML Training and FedStats.Net Content
  Network, Brand Niemann, 202-260-2510

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Terminology Acronym Overview

• XML-eXtensible Markup Language
• IT-Information Technology
• W3C-World Wide Web Consortium
• TAG-Technical Advisory Group
• GPO-Government Printing Office
• SDC-System Development Center
• CIO-Chief Information Officer
• OEI-Office of Environmental Information
• OSWER-Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response

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End of Presentation

• Questions and Answers